Pop Icon Celebrates Creative Kids and Their Ingenious Inventions

ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. April 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- It has been a milestone year for Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE) with the celebration of its iconic Bubble Wrap^® brand cushioning's 50th birthday.  Today, the pop icon has even more reason to celebrate with the announcement of the 15 semi-finalists in the Fourth Annual Bubble Wrap^® Competition for Young Inventors. The 15 semi-finalists, chosen from more than of 2,500 entries from 40 states, will vie for over $20,000 in prizes and savings bonds in a competition that encourages creativity and ingenuity.

"We are proud and excited to be announcing the names of this year's semi-finalists, who will now compete for the three finalist spots, a trip to New York City and a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize savings bond," said William V. Hickey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sealed Air. "The Bubble Wrap^® Competition for Young Inventors provides us with a unique opportunity to leverage the young minds of America and develop innovative products."  

This year's 15 semi-finalists include:

• Hugh Finch, 11, Harrisville, RI - "The Guitar Chord-inator" – A device that helps dyslexic children or anyone with a visual processing/tracking problem learn how to play chords on a guitar.

• Clare Livingston, 14, Rowayton, CT - "The Buble" – A device that enables children to create different styles of music.

• Jamie Eusepi, 12, Cypress, TX - "Pop Dart" – An educational game that helps children learn to spell and construct sentences.

• Aidan Brady, 12, Atlanta, GA – "Bubblebeat" – A lightweight, portable speaker system that requires no batteries.

• Sahil Abbi, 10, Albertson, NY – "Popping Pillow" – A portable cushion designed to attach to seatbelts for support and comfort during long car rides.

• MaryAnn Bulawa, 14, Ava, NY – "Smart Toilet" – A device that attaches to a toilet for conservation of energy and water.

• Jared Mann, 13, Christiansburg, VA – "The Fridge Guard" – A curtain designed to help any ordinary refrigerator become more energy efficient.

• Megan Pato, 13, Oakley, CA – "Bio-Bubble Covers" – A cover designed to keep stretchers and gurneys sanitary, comfortable and easy to use.

• Matthew Huber, 13, St. Peter, MN – "Petri Bubbles" – A scientific tool designed as an inexpensive alternative to Petri dishes.

• Meredith Loy, 13, Portland, OR – "Bubble Bumpers" – A padded, adhesive safety strip designed to provide a warning for limited vision individuals when approaching potentially hazardous areas such as stairs.

• Julia Coletti, 11, Setauket, NY – "Bubble Wrap^® Pain Indicator Doll" – A doll developed to help children who are undergoing medical treatments express where and how much pain they are experiencing.

• Knighten Cooper, 11, Springfield, MO – "Physical Therapy Step, Push and Pop" – A physical therapy tool designed to assist in the rehabilitation process through the use of different types of Bubble Wrap^® cushioning.

• Seeley Fancher, 13, Rowayton, CT – "Look, Say, Pop" – An educational game that teaches toddlers how to speak.

• Eric Baker, 11, Longwood, FL – "Bubble Debruiser" – A device designed to catch fruit falling from or plucked from a tree without damaging or bruising the fruit.

• Ryan Cosco, 12, Middleton, MA – "The Buzzster" – An alarm system that is an easy, inexpensive way to keep intruders away without any annoyance to you.

Each of the 15 semi-finalists is required to build and deliver full-scale working versions of their invention to be reviewed by the panel of judges. The names of the three finalists will be announced on Tuesday, May 4. The three finalists and a family member will win a three-day trip to New York City for a chance to win the grand prize of a $10,000 U.S. savings bond. The second and third prize winners will also receive $5,000 and $3,000 U.S. savings bonds, respectively. The teacher/mentor of each finalist will also receive a $500 gift card. The grand prize winner will be announced at the Bubble Wrap^® Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 22.

The Bubble Wrap^® Competition for Young Inventors encourages students nationwide in grades five through eight to demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity by designing an invention that incorporates the use of Bubble Wrap^® brand cushioning. Students were invited to submit original inventions along with a visual and written description that included the name of the invention, the purpose it serves, how it works and how the idea was formulated.

The competition is administered in conjunction with the National Museum of Education and all submitted entries were judged based on their originality, creativity and practicality, as well as their benefit to society, marketability and overall presentation. This year's competition attracted thousands of entries from all across the U.S., with entries that included everything from a speaker system, to a Petri dish alternative, to a game that helps children learn to spell and construct sentences. You can read more about 2010 and previous Competition winners at www.bubblewrapcompetition.com.  

Despite the attempts of imitators, there is only one Bubble Wrap^® brand which has transcended its intended use of protecting valuables to become a "pop" culture phenomenon. Bubble Wrap^® cushioning is most recognized for the satisfying release and gleeful joy that comes with the popping of each plastic cell. In addition, Bubble Wrap^® cushioning has been used as a medium for creating works of art, as a fashion statement and as a central prop piece to movies and commercials.  

Bubble Wrap^® cushioning has inspired users to come up with hundreds of different uses.  Beyond its "pop" appeal, Bubble Wrap^® cushioning has also helped spur the growth of parent company Sealed Air, which today operates in 52 countries and has annual revenue in excess of $4 billion.  

About Sealed Air

Celebrating its 50^th anniversary Sealed Air is a leading global innovator and manufacturer of a wide range of packaging and performance-based materials and equipment systems that serve an array of food, industrial, medical, and consumer applications. Operating in 52 countries, Sealed Air's international reach generated revenue of $4.8 billion in 2008. With widely recognized brands such as Bubble Wrap^® brand cushioning, Jiffy^® protective mailers, Instapak^® foam-in-place systems and Cryovac^® packaging technology, Sealed Air continues to identify new trends, foster new markets, and deliver innovative solutions to its customers. For more information about Sealed Air, please visit the Company's web site at www.sealedair.com.

SOURCE Sealed Air Corporation