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Rubber Band Contest winners Ethan Savko (left) and Eros Dunkin (right) with their inventions.

Congratulations to the winners, runners-up, and top 10 schools of the 16th Annual !

This national contest, created in 2008 by the Akron Global Polymer Academy—an outreach division of the University of Akron's School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering—aims to promote polymers and engage students in grades 5-8 in the world of STE(A)M education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

This creative learning project emphasizes the design process, problem-solving, research, communication and innovation. Students designed and created an invention or artwork incorporating at least one rubber band and had the option to submit their entries to either the Arts & Leisure or Science & Engineering categories. Here are this year’s winners, runners-up and finalists:

ARTS & LEISURE DIVISION

• First Place: Ethan Savko (Grade 8, Lancaster, PA) - "Catapults and Blockades"
• Runner-Up: Leila Patrick (Grade 7, Clearwater, FL) - "You are Perfect"
• Finalists: Mackenzie Crum, Jillian Holland, Emma Livingston and Maya Robinson

SCIENCE & ENGINEERING DIVISION

• First Place: Eros Dunkin (Grade 7, West Union, OH) - "The Reboundary"
• Runner-Up: Reese Begue (Grade 6, Rootstown, OH) - "Bowling Fun"
• Finalists: Jackson Brous, Din Krivdic, Will Stepler and Ava Storey

Congratulations to all participants, winners, and the supportive teachers and parents behind them! A special thanks to our esteemed Gold Level Sponsor, , for their continued support.

WHAT STUDENTS HAD TO SAY

"This experience was both challenging and rewarding. Using rubber bands to show where a car should stop when parking requires a lot of hard work, creative problem-solving and precision measurements. It was exciting to see the project come together. It taught me the importance of perseverance, creativity, and the value of teamwork and collaboration. I'm excited to apply these lessons to future projects because I like pushing the boundaries of what's possible." – Eros Dunkin

“The contest experience was fun and a cool way to do something different. It inspired me to work outside the box with different materials and the rules gave me a lot of room to be creative. It feels awesome and special to be a contest winner. Overall, the contest was very enjoyable and I’m proud of my work." – Ethan Savko

“The experience overall was very exciting and inspired me to work hard on my creation. I was extremely happy to be runner-up and I'm happy for the other students as well.” – Reese Begue

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Story by CEPS Marketing.

Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.