Are you ready to stretch your imagination? The Akron Global Polymer Academy of The University of Akron is hosting the third annual Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors to encourage students in grades 5-8 to demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity by creating an invention that incorporates the use of rubber bands. There will be two separate divisions of competition – Arts & Leisure and Science & Engineering. Four finalists will be brought to Akron, Ohio, where the first place winner and runner-up in each division, will be announced at an Awards Ceremony on May 14, 2011. The first place winner in each division will receive a $1,000 savings bond, while the runner-up in each division will receive a $500 savings bond*, respectively. The top 8 semi-finalists who are not chosen as finalists will each receive a $50 gift card. The top four schools with the most entries will each receive a $250 donation.

*Savings bond values are at maturity for United States Series EE paper savings bonds.