More than 350 student inventors from across the country competed in the 30th Anniversary Rube Goldberg Machine Contest Live Finals at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago from April 21 to 22. About 40 individual teams participated in the annual STEM contest, which also premiered an Apprentice Division for the first time, bringing elementary school into the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest activities.

Throughout the two-day event, students in the apprentice, middle school, high school, and university divisions competed for first place, building and then showcasing machines inspired by the legacy of Rube Goldberg. This year’s challenge was to pour a bowl of cereal with General Mills as the task sponsor. Students from elementary to university levels made this simple task ridiculously complicated and were judged on their teamwork, creativity, and the spirit of Rube Goldberg. The 38 teams who competed at the Live Finals won regional competitions, where more than 250 teams competed.

The 2018 RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTEST first place winners are:

Apprentice (Elementary School)

Professor Butt’s Creative Sparks: St. Hubert Catholic School, Hoffman Estates, IL
Apprentice Spirit of Hilarious Invention: Hoover Math and Science Academy, Schaumburg, IL
Apprentice Helping Hand: Collins Elementary School, Schaumburg, IL

Division I (Middle School)

Lyle S Briggs School, Chino, CA

Division II (High School)

Rho Gamma Phi from Chatfield High School, Chatfield, MN

Division III (University)

Purdue PSPE, West Lafayette, IN

About the author

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik was the Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book from 2020-2022. She was also a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider.

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