We’re back with a new challenge for the 2009–2010 school year!

Word comes that famed inventor Professor Phineas T. Quirkbotham has recently finished consulting with a rubber band manufacturing plant, helping the staff correct some production problems. While there, he devised several new techniques for making the product. Finding himself energized by and inspired about the topic, Quirkbotham is considering writing a book that traces the invention history of the rubber band, and he’d like to include some unusual and creative uses of rubber bands. Consequently, the professor invites your students to channel their creative energy toward devising useful new applications for these simple, inexpensive, and common household items.

If Quirkbotham and inventor/engineer/ assistant judge Harry T. Roman think your students’ ideas are among the best, they will receive a Tech Directions Inventors Award certificate and their solutions will be published in the May 2010 issue of the magazine. The top three competitors will also receive a book or poster of their choice from Tech Directions Books & Media. All winners will have a notable accomplishment to list on future resumes and college applications and they’ll bring excellent publicity to your technology education program!

Here are the competition guidelines:

1. Students should provide a written description of their suggested uses for the rubber bands. They should use drawings to help explain their ideas or illustrate any necessary modifications. All drawings should be either computer-generated or hand-drawn in ink. Use only one side of the paper for drawings and use only plain paper—no graph paper or notebook paper, please, since it will not reproduce well in the magazine.

2. On an additional sheet of paper, describe why the rubber band invention is important and how it is used. What is it about the invention that will improve people’s lives?

3. Students should include with each entry their grade level, their teacher’s name and e-mail address, and the postal address of their school.

Submit ideas by January 29, 2010.

Mail all invention submissions to:
Inventors Competition
Tech Directions
PO Box 8623
Ann Arbor MI 48107-8623

The judges suggest that each student brainstorm many ideas, but select just the single best idea to submit to the competition. This approach allows for really focusing attention and effort on the best idea. The judges also encourage students to let ideas flow freely and not be afraid to unleash their imaginations.

We hope you’ll encourage your students to take the Great Rubber Band Inventors Challenge—and we wish them the best of luck!