ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. Sealed Air Corporation, the creator of Bubble Wrap brand cushioning, named 15 year-old Grayson Rosenberger, of Nashville, Tennessee, the grand prize winner of the first-ever Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors.  His winning invention used Bubble Wrap cushioning to create a low-cost cosmetic covering for prosthetic limbs and earned him a $10,000 savings bond.

Rosenberger was one of nearly 800 students who entered the nationwide contest challenging students in grades 5 through 8 to come up with creative inventions that incorporate Bubble Wrap brand cushioning.  The announcement coincided with the celebration of the 7th Annual Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, a holiday honoring the revolutionary packaging material invented more than 45 years ago and recognized around the world.

The inspiration for Rosenbergers invention, titled Bubble Wrap Cosmetic Covering Shell for Artificial Legs in Developing Countries, was his mother, a double-leg amputee, and his familys charitable work with prosthetic patients in Africa.  Using a heat gun to mold Bubble Wrap cushioning around the steel rod of a prosthetic limb to give it muscle-like tone and shape, Rosenberger was able to quickly turn a basic artificial leg into a more life-like limb so that amputees would feel more confident and less self-conscious.  In a little over an hour, and for a fraction of the cost, his entry demonstrated how he could create a lightweight prosthetic leg covering that rivaled those costing more than $1,000. 

In addition to the savings bond, Rosenberger, along with the competitions other two finalists, won a trip to New York City to celebrate Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day.  The second and third place winners, who also received $5,000 and $3,000 respectively in savings bonds, are as follows:

·         Second Place Winner: Megan Guerrero, 13, San Angelo, Texas The Empire State Building: A Three-Dimensional Construction Project A creative work of art and clever architectural puzzle that presents a fun and educational way to learn about one of the worlds most famous buildings.  This three-dimensional puzzle uses custom-cut pieces of Bubble Wrap cushioning to build a 2.5 foot replica of the Empire State Building.

·         Third Place Winner: Alex Chalcraft, 13, Gilbert, Arizona The Easy Check Chore Chart Chore chart that embodies the fun of popping Bubble Wrap cushioning while engaging children to stay focused and complete their daily chores.  The chart lists a series of weekly tasks and allows children to pop a bubble each time they complete a chore.

As a company, Sealed Air has always valued and encouraged innovation, stated William V. Hickey, Sealed Airs President and Chief Executive Officer.  Consequently, all of the young inventors that participated in this competition are an inspiration to us.  Sealed Air is grateful to have this opportunity to recognize and support the creativity and ingenuity of our three finalists through a competition that celebrates one of our most well-known and trusted brands.

Submissions were judged in coordination with the National Museum of Education and ranked based on several criteria including originality, creativity, usefulness, benefit to society, marketability and feasibility, as well as overall presentation.  Entries received ranged from a Bubble Wrap cushioning-based saddle pad and portable candy packaging to an instrument case and fish tank decor.  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.

Bubble Wrap cushioning was invented by Sealed Airs founders in 1960 and was originally intended to be used as a type of textured wallpaper.  The inventors quickly realized it was actually a superior cushioning material, and Sealed Air is now a global, Fortune 500 company that offers a wide range of packaging solutions, has operations in 51 countries and has annual sales in excess of $4 billion.  Sealed Air is widely recognized for its strong commitment to innovation, and continues to be an industry leader in research and development.

The Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors is sponsored by Sealed Air and administered by the National Museum of Education.  For additional information on the competition, and to celebrate Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, visit http://www.bubblewrap.com/.

About Sealed Air

Sealed Air is a leading global manufacturer of a wide range of food and protective packaging materials and systems including such widely recognized brands as Bubble Wrap cushioning, Jiffy protective mailers and Cryovac food packaging products.  For more information about Sealed Air, please visit the Companys web site at www.sealedair.com.