The Maker Playground was bursting with innovation and creativity this past weekend as it hosted the 4th Make48 competition of 2024 in Fishers, Indiana, from May 3-5.
The event brought together seven FFA teams, all composed of high school students from Indiana chapters. Corteva Agriscience and the Indiana FFA came together to create a one-of-a-kind challenge within the 48-hour timeframe.
The challenge? Teams had to build an interactive display that educates others about the agriculture industry, emphasizing its diverse and positive impact on communities and careers. The goal for these students was to dismantle misconceptions and bring to life the multi-faceted nature of agriculture. After a round of impressive pitches, the winning teams were announced.
Congratulations go to the Hamilton Southeastern FFA Team! Team Members: Ellie Taylor, Meghan Haws, Eliza Uliczny, and Sam Uliczny (team captain) clinched the top spot, winning Best Innovation. They walked away with $2,000, a custom-made trophy, and will represent their school and the state of Indiana at the national competition this November in Kansas City. The team also earned Best Pitch, voted by guests during the judging round.
Team Agricadabra from Purdue Polytechnic High School won the Best Agilities award, presented by the DeBruce Foundation. Violet Parkhill, Sophie Glassley, Eddie Zimmerman and Dustin Homan (team captain) best utilized the foundation's Agilities framework to solve the challenge creatively.
Skilled tool technicians worked with the teams throughout the weekend AND built a beautiful first-place trophy. The tool techs came from Maker Playground, ShopBot, Onshape as well as the community. Local Indianapolis makers, including past Make48 contestants - Miles Davis, Gregg Nowling, and the Tuntland family (Jason, Kelly, Dutch, and Tyler) volunteered to help the teams, as they were once in their shoes. Many hands assisted the teams on their prototypes and created the custom-made trophy. Mentors from FFA and Corteva Agriscience helped the teams on their journey to showcase the positive impact of agriculture in everyday life.
A panel of distinguished judges oversaw the competition, including Kristie Larson (DeBruce Foundation), Stephanie DeCamp (Indiana State Fair), and Shondria Seaton (Past Make48 Participant and People's Choice Award Winner).
Congratulations to all the teams who dared to compete in this 48-hour challenge, we couldn’t be more proud of you all! Stay tuned for the release of the highlight sizzle and a full recap next week!
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About Make48
Make48 is a nationwide invention-competition docuseries that gives teams a challenge at the start of a two-day event. With just 48 hours, teams must create a prototype, promotional video, and sales sheet, and present their idea to a panel of judges. The teams have access to a makerspace and numerous Tool Techs that can make almost anything, patent attorneys, marketing experts, and more. This format allows everyone to have a level playing field and the chance to win, with no prior technical knowledge necessary.
Make48 Media Contact:
Cassandra Muñoz
816-226-8385