The excitement is building as the winning teams from the 2023 regional City Series gear up for Make48's fast-paced 2-day invention challenge, set to take place THIS weekend at the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub at Winrock International.
Eight talented teams from different regions are ready to compete for a chance to win the grand prize of $10,000 in this thrilling event. All the action will be captured on camera and released as part of Season Seven on Roku's This Old House Makers Channel in 2024.
Meet the remarkable contestants who will represent their hometown;
Kansas City (KS-The Kansas School for the Blind)
DNAwesome - Svetlana Ehlers, Richie Tienter, Ava Winters with team captain Nick Privitera
Nuts & Bolts - Ben Webster, Mara Hug, Kate Engle with team captains Nich Musselman and Matticus Hunt.
Purdue, Anderson (IN-Purdue Polytechnic Anderson)
Not Fast, Just Furious - Leyda Garcia-Martinez, Ashley Jeronimo, Jazmine Morgan, and Allison Rios with team captains Joshua Dillard and David Perrel.
Randy’s Rascals - Sam Barr, Max Barr, Kaden Key, Kase Clevenger with team captain Randy England.
Beloit (WI-The Lincoln Academy)
Purple Knights - Ray Watkins, Moises Guerrero Sandoval, Dulce Figueroa, and Brooklyn Watkins.
It’s Classified - Erik Rozolis, Nathan Wilder, Kelby Schneider, and Katherine Woodard.
Bentonville (AR-NorthWest Arkansas Community College)
The Golden Eagles - Allyson Brown, James Smith, Colby Richardson, and Shanteé Enitencio Quinn.
The Delta School - Andrew Podoll, Cameron Buckley, Haskel Schaffer, and John Nielsen.
As in past competitions, the teams won’t be alone in the building of their ideas. Local Makers and experts will be aiding the participants. Makers include the AR Innovation Hub team such as Adam Kittrell, Zoë Eagan, and Kendle Carter. Additionally, past tool techs including Tyler Isaacs, Brandy Aubé, Lydia Knopp, Luis Rodriguez, Travis Putman, Miles Davis, Melissa and Bucky Miller, are heading to Arkansas to support the teams in the competition. They will be joined by a group of experienced makers from past events who will assist in creating the prototypes and trophies.
Supporters of the competition (BLOG) are coming from North Little Rock and throughout the country. After the clock runs down from 48 hours, teams will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. The panel will include Kevin Mako, president of Mako Design + Invent, Clare Graham, Director at Malvern Hot Springs County Library, and Dr. Rick Barker, Director of Technical Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing, at The University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College.
The action kicks off on Friday morning, November 10th, at the AR Innovation Hub. Expect a weekend filled with non-stop action, suspense, and surprises. If you want to learn more about this exciting event, be sure to visit the National competition webpage at https://www.make48.com/nationals-2023-season-7. Stay tuned to our social channels for an incredible showcase of creativity, innovation, and competition as these talented teams vie for the top spot in the Make48 Season 7 Nationals.
