Meet the Make48 Teams Competing at UW-Stout

Menomonie, WI – June 16, 2026 – The countdown is officially on! From July 31 to August 2, 2026, the University of Wisconsin-Stout FabLab will transform into a high-octane innovation hub as it hosts the final Make48 regional competition of the year.

Nine exceptional teams from across the Midwest are packing their bags for a grueling, yet exhilarating, 48-hour challenge. They'll have just two days to brainstorm, design, and build a physical prototype from scratch, pushing their creative and technical boundaries to the limit. The stakes couldn't be higher: the top two winning teams will earn a coveted spot at the National Championships and a custom-made trophy. First place will also snag $2,000!

These teams didn't just get lucky; they earned their spot through the nationwide Make48 Classroom Challenge tour by pitching brilliant solutions to real-world corporate problems. Let’s meet the creative competitors, see where they’re from and what ‘idea’ got them to the live, filmed competition at UW-Stout. 

Introducing The Teams

Elk

• Team Members: Isaiah DeLeon, Eli Christian, Keelan Tipton, and Ryan Christian

• School/Location: Fall River, Wisconsin

• The Ticket to the Event: Conquered the "Clear the Path" challenge sponsored by Alliant Energy.

• The Winning Idea: Tractcam

The Graduates

• Team Members: Arthur Duffy, Abraham Almaraz-Quiroz, and Josue Farias

• School/Location: Beloit Memorial H.S. (Beloit, WI)

• The Ticket to the Event: Dominated the "Ready Set Cook" challenge sponsored by Presto.

• The Winning Idea: Culinary Buddy

S.W.A.T 1806

• Team Members: Johnny D. Viebrock, Jacob Hutchings, and Sam Hunter 

• School/Location: Smithville High School (Smithville, MO)

• The Ticket to the Event: Charged up the "Powered Up" challenge sponsored by Westinghouse.

• The Winning Idea: A Universal Wheel Kit designed specifically for the Westinghouse WSnow11S 20v series Power Snow Shovel.

Doc's K-pop Collection

• Team Members: Don E Lines, Jasroop Kaur, Nolan Delaney, and Meleah Hatch

• School/Location: Homestead High School (Fort Wayne, IN)

• The Ticket to the Event: Navigated the "(Un)seen" challenge sponsored by Garmann Miller.

• The Winning Idea: T.H.O.R.

The Synchronizers

• Team Members: Stephanie Lyle, JaeLa Hogan, Alex Arroyo-Ruiz, Trevan Hoffman, and Isabella Feiden-Shaw

• School/Location: Spring Garden Middle School (St. Joseph, MO)

• The Ticket to the Event: Got a hold of the "On The Line" challenge sponsored by Altec.

• The Winning Idea: Synchronizers - Grip Tiles

Golda R²

• Team Members: Tina Gleason, Renad Kabashi, and Retal Kabashi

• School/Location: Golda Meir School (Milwaukee, WI)

• The Ticket to the Event: Prioritizing safety in the "Safe by Design" challenge sponsored by Crime Stoppers of Houston.

• The Winning Idea: Sanistation Station

Loose Screws

• Team Members: Corey Hansen, Owen Delmont, Jaxson Greve, and Hugo Henderson

• School/Location: Parkview Middle School (WI)

• The Ticket to the Event: Played to win in the "Just Press Start" challenge sponsored by Bay Tek Entertainment.

• The Winning Idea: Catapult to Camelot

The Bears

• Team Members: Eric Olson, Logan Blalock, Ben Bower, and Jack Firkus

• School/Location: White Bear Lake Area (MN)

• The Ticket to the Event: Sparked creativity in the "Making Energy Work Better" challenge sponsored by Xcel Energy.

• The Winning Idea: Blowkus

Architecting The Mastery

• Team Members: Eric Paulsen, Jack Slaggie, Jaxson Greshik, and Brielle Staudacher

• School/Location: Cotter Schools (Winona, MN)

• The Ticket to the Event: Claimed 1st place in the "Hard to Handle" challenge sponsored by RTP Company.

• The Winning Idea: The Hinge

Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

UW-Stout is famously known as Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, meaning hands-on learning is practically in the campus's DNA. Teams will have access to cutting-edge digital fabrication tools, like 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC routers, alongside expert Tool Techs to help bring their physical prototypes to life.

What makes Make48 special? Anyone can have a great sketch on a napkin, but few have the tools, materials, and support to build a functional prototype, much less in 48 hours. This competition levels the playing field, turning students into real-world developers overnight.

These nine teams represent an incredible mix of diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives. 

We absolutely cannot wait to see how they adapt when the mystery prompt is finally revealed!

Stay tuned for live updates, behind-the-scenes drama, and brilliant engineering fixes as we approach the big kickoff on July 31st!