Schools Starpack Awards 2008

Quirky winners accentuatethe positive

Parrots and Geckos, and messages on a can all added up to innovative set of entries from schools around the UK.Describing it as a very positive year for IOP: The Packaging Society’s Schools Starpack Awards the judges were delighted by the quality of the entries and awarded two Supreme Gold Awards, plus 12 Gold, 12 Silver, and14 Bronze Stars, and 26 Highly Commended certificates.

The awards were presented at IOM3’s offices in Central London on May 22 by Sanjay Patel, Innovations Manager, The Coca-Cola Company.

"Through the Student and Schools Starpack Awards we are able to provide not only creative directions for students to pursue within the packaging field but also rewards that will help them in their future careers. Financial rewards for schools and colleges, work placements, travel bursaries, visits and recruitment opportunities are part of the prizes offered by many of our sponsoring companies to both the Schools and Student Awards," explained Gordon Stewart, head of PIABC*.

There were four briefs for the Schools Starpack Awards - Pet Care Starter Pack;Instant Picnic Pack; Materials Research Brief; and Message on a Can. And the judges were encouraged by the higher standards achieved in this year’s awards compared with 2007.

The school judging criteria is quite different from the student awards with the primary focus being on originality, overall aesthetics and quality of portfolio; with an emphasis on leadership by course tutors. The commercial/manufacturing viability of an idea is still important but at this stage in a student’s developmentIOP: The Packaging Society prefers to concentrate on innovation.

Gold, Silver and Bronze Stars are awarded to individual pupils by IOP: The Packaging Society with the sponsor awards going to the best school in each category. Supreme Gold Awards are made at the discretion of the judges.

PET CARE STARTER PACK

Sponsored by Pro Carton

A quirky set of entries in the Pro Carton Category for Pet Care Starter Pack ended up with two Supreme Gold Awards awarded by the judges for real novelty and providing lots of “fun”.

The first Supreme Gold for a ‘cartoon’ cat pack was awarded to Manmeet Auluck, 6th Form College Farnborough, who also won the IOP: The Packaging Society’s award for Best Porfolio; with the second Supreme Gold going to Mark Thomas, Hull College for his off the wall Gecko shaped pack.

The 6th Form College Farnborough also walked away with the Pro Carton Award for BestSchool for what Jennifer Buhaenko of Pro Carton described as “A “Purr-fect” set of Entries! Well thought through and executed. The Cartons displayed a good range of products, supported by excellent portfolios.”

INSTANT PICNIC PACK

Sponsored byBritish Polythene Industries

Students were challenged to design and produce an environmentally friendly ‘Instant Picnic Pack’ containing compostable knives, forks, plates, cups and serviettes.

Two Gold Stars were awarded to students from Reigate School of Art and Design and MediaEastSurreyCollege:Edmund Cooper for his contemporary well designed rangeand Ross Hewitt for a classy futuristic pack particularly suited totheatrical outdoor events.

The City of Leicester College won the BPI Award for BestSchoolfor some “interesting and functional pack designs”.

MATERIALS RESEARCH BRIEF - INTELLIGENT DISASTER AID PACK

Sponsored by the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3)

The brief asked students to use new materials and intelligent packaging materials to create a Disaster Aid Pack.

Gold went to Olivia Thompson & Stephanie McMahon, of St Swithun’s School, of Winchester, for an excellent final solution which showed a real understanding of the requirements. St Swithun’s School also won the IOM3 Award for the BestSchool.

MESSAGE ON A CAN – ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Sponsored by TheCan Makers

Students were challenged to design a graphic for a drinks can that illustrates the environmental benefits of recycling. Gold and The Canmakers Award went to Sam Balance, Adams Grammar School, of Newport, Shropshire, for a simple and effective ‘mono-colour’ logo.

Judges:Lauren Brummitt, (Chairperson), 3D Designer, Tigerprint; Kevin Townsley, Teacher, Oakham School; Peter Davies, Education & Accreditation Manager, IOM3; and

David Jackson, Design Consultant, Easibind; Anita Sunderland, Manager, Training Department, NAMTEC, Corus Group; Annette Bigglestone, Sponsorship & Business Consultant; Anne Martyn, Education Co-ordinator, IOM3.

*PIABC is run by IOP: The Packaging Society and is the body approved by the Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA) to run The Diploma in Packaging Technology (Level 4); The Certificate in Packaging (Level 3); and NVQ Level 2 For Packaging Operators.

*The Starpack Industry Awards are run by IOP: The Packaging Society (a division of I0M3 – Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining).

A full list of winners is available at:

High resolution jpegs of all the winners are available.

Starpack Student Awards 2008: see separate release.

PR Contact: Mary Murphy, Director, MAJIC LIMITED

T: +44 (0)1424 777783 E:

IOP: The Packaging Society

Rachel Brooks, Starpack Awards Co-ordinator

T: +44 (0)1476 514594; E: