Media Advisory
January 23, 2008
Irvine Valley College Hosts 22nd Annual “Astounding Inventions” Competition
Saturday, January 31 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The popular science contest features ingenious gadgets made by Kindergarten through Eighth Grade Students.
What: Young inventors from kindergarten through eighth grade will compete on Saturday, January 31, 2009 in the 22nd Annual Irvine Valley College “Astounding Inventions” competition, presented by the Orange County Office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP and the Irvine Valley College Foundation.
Where: This year’s competition and exhibition will be held in IVC’s Hart Gymnasium; with judging of the entries from 10 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. Irvine Valley College is located at 5500 Irvine Center Drive, on the corner of Jeffrey Road and Irvine Center Drive in Irvine.
How: More than 350 students from South Orange County will present inventions they have conceived and crafted on their own. The students will be competing for $9,000 in 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 a 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. In addition, as part of its title sponsorship, Greenberg Traurig will select two student’s inventions from the event (one from Irvine Unified School District and one from Tustin Unified School District), based on its perceived patentability, and offer to conduct a pro bono prior art search and write a provisional patent application on the invention.
Who: During the fall of 2008, 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, the approximately 350 finalists were chosen to compete in the 2008 Astounding Inventions Competition. Past inventions have 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. The Astounding Inventions Competition, now in its 22nd 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.”
Misc: 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. For additional information, please call the Irvine Valley College Foundation at (949) 451-5290 or http://www.ivc.edu/foundation.
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