Media Advisory
January 14, 2007
Irvine Valley College Hosts 21st Annual
“Astounding Inventions” Competition,
Saturday, January 26, 2008
The Popular Science Contest Featuring Ingenious Gadgets
Created and Presented By Orange County Students
IRVINE, CA—Young inventors from kindergarten through eighth grade will compete on Saturday, January 26, 2008 in the 21st Annual Irvine Valley College “Astounding Inventions” competition, presented by the Orange County Office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP and the Irvine Valley College Foundation. This year’s competition and exhibition will be held in Irvine Valley College’s Hart Gymnasium; with judging of the entries from 9:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., public viewing of the entries from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and an awards ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. In addition, activities, displays, and demonstrations will be open to the public from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the courtyard outside of Hart Gymnasium.
More than 400 students from South Orange County will present inventions they have conceived and crafted on their own at this year’s event. The students will be competing for $9,000 in various cash prizes, certificates of achievement and ribbons from the Irvine Valley College Foundation. The inventions are grouped by grade level and are judged on their originality, usefulness, and written description and illustration submitted by the student. Over sixty judges representing the scientific, education, civic and business communities will determine the winners at this year’s event.
The Astounding Inventions Competition, now in its 21st year, was conceived by Irvine Valley College in 1987 to promote creativity and interest in mathematics and science education among area students. Award winners may go on to compete at different levels of state and national math and science invention competitions. Previous winners of IVC’s Astounding Inventions have been featured guests on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
Inventions run from the whimsical to the remarkable, like the lighted dog leash one student created for safe walks at night and the pressurized inhaler another student designed for an asthmatic sibling.
During the fall of 2007, nearly 4,000 students representing 40 schools in the Irvine and Tustin Unified School Districts submitted their inventions for judging at their schools. From this, approximately 400 finalists will be chosen to compete in the 2008 Astounding Inventions Competition.
“Astounding Inventions is our most popular community event,” said Dr. Glenn Roquemore, President of Irvine Valley College. “It’s a great opportunity to see how creative and motivated students can be and how they utilize their critical thinking skills to find solutions to the problems they encounter in their own lives or in the lives of others. It’s a great way to bolster their interest in science and technology,” he continued.
This daylong event includes scientific, creative and educational activities which are open to the public. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., participants, their families, and the public are invited to experience and interact with scientific demonstrations, exhibits and stage shows. Event admission and parking are free, and food will be available for purchase. Irvine Valley College is located at 5500 Irvine Center Drive, on the corner of Jeffrey Road and Irvine Center Drive in Irvine.
This year’s sponsors include:
Greenberg Traurig
Beckman Coulter Foundation
Conexant
Rosemount Analytical
SRS Labs, Inc.
Wells Fargo
Western Digital
Parker Aerospace
AT&T
Emerson Process Mgmt.
The Gas Company
Irvine Ranch Water Dist.
Kawasaki
Klein Business Services
Klein, O'Neill & Singh LLP
Micromachines
Pepsi
Discovery Science Center
Hill Partnership
Lynberg & Watkins
RBF Consulting
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Dr. Richard A. Sarlitt Optometrist
Doctor’s Ambulance
For additional information, please call the Irvine Valley College Foundation at (949) 451-5290 or http://www.ivc.edu/foundation.