Recap: Sky-High Innovation as Make48 Kicks Off Season 10 in Wichita

In a city world-renowned for its aviation legacy, student inventors were tasked with a mission every traveler can appreciate: reinventing the in-flight experience. Make48 launched its milestone 10th season at the GoCreate makerspace with a fitting challenge. Partnering with challenge sponsor Fastenal, the competition required teams to prototype a functional product in just 48 hours.

Ready, Set, Go! Make48 launches Season 10 at GoCreate

The Contenders: Region 1 Classroom Experience

Seven elite teams from the Region 1 Classroom Innovation circuit touched down in Wichita, representing a diverse range of educational institutions. These top-tier students came ready to compete for a spot in the National Championship:

• University of Wisconsin-Stout

• Vandermont

• Columbia Area Career Center

• Andover CAPS

• Oak Park High School

• LISA Academy North MS/HS

• Hot Springs Junior Academy

7 teams competed at Wichita Competition (Slideshow)

After three days of intense building, the heat moved from the workshop to the judging table.

The panel of experts, Jonathan Burkhart (Fastenal), Marquetta Atkins-Woods (Destination Innovation), and Ben Sauceda (Kansas Aviation Museum), faced the difficult task of deliberating over the prototypes.

The Winners: In the end, two teams secured their tickets to the National Competition this fall, where they will compete for the $10,000 grand prize: Andover CAPS and Hot Springs Junior Academy! *read more here

Winning teams with the judges panel: Team Yogurt and Hot Springs Junior Academy

The All-Star "Pit Crew"

The event’s success relied heavily on the Tool Techs, a mix of legendary anchors and fresh faces who kept the machines running:

• New to the Pit: Chris Locascio (Thunder Laser) and the Trimble SketchUp team (Chris Brashar, Tori Hasson, and Kathy Davies).

• Returning Favorites: Charlie Cox and Michael Overstreet arrived from Kansas City, joining anchors Adam Kittrell, Tyler Isaacs, and Miles Suarez-Davis.

• Industry Experts: Ryan Patterson returned for ShopBot Tools, Giovanni Rossini from UltiMaker stepped in for Luis, and Steven Howard helped teams capture their visions on video.

• Full Circle Moments: Former Wichita competitors and tool techs - Mike Hutton, Jerome Teoh, and David Fowler returned to mentor, while Jimmy Lewis-Swain - who started as a contestant for the Kansas School for the Blind - returned as a Tool Tech (and treated the crowd to his latest country single!).

The GoCreate & ICT Community

The Wichita community proved once again why it is a premier maker hub. This marked the fourth time GoCreate, located on the Wichita State University campus, has hosted the event. GoCreate leaders, Kim McCollum and Ken Wiseman, ensured the makerspace was ready, and we had every resource at their disposal. We were supported by a dedicated group of volunteers, including Ron Cox, Breanna Martin, Camden Led, Clayton Dudley, Daniel Sullivan, Denzel Nyatsanza, DHRUV, Dontae Coleman, Jake Thompson, Merrie East, and Vivian Baughman.

The event was further supported by local and national supporters:

• Industry Partners: AT&T, Walnut Brewery, ShopBot Tools, Thunder Laser, MakerBot-UltiMaker, Dynamism, and The DeBruce Foundation. 

• Intellectual Property: Jaclyn Alcantara, with Hovey Williams, worked with teams to ensure their designs were protected.

• VIP Mentorship: Mentor and Shark Tank contestant Jeffrey Dakin shared pitching wisdom, while Curtis Isaacs from Fastenal provided crucial feedback during focus groups.

How to Watch

Fans can catch the high-stakes drama and final reveals in two upcoming episodes on the This Old House Makers Channel on Roku this fall.

Stay Connected: Don’t miss a minute of the behind-the-scenes action. Follow @gomake48 on social media to see exclusive content from the intense 48-hour build!