Project Lead The Way

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Challenge Sponsor

Challenge Theme

Stadium Experience

See what happened at PLTW competition at UMKC!

The Ones Who Shall Not Be Named Team Photo

Two team members from
[Redacted] working at their table with a mentor from DI

Film crew being silly with emcee, Lizzy Cook

Teacher from
Tiger Innovations talking to a tool tech

Make48 team with Sporting KC mascot, Blue

Tool Tech Clint working with the Epilog Laser on the first place trophy

Team Vianney 1 meeting with the Focus Group panel

Two team members from The Ones Who Shall Not Be Named shopping at ACE Hardware

team member from
[Redacted] talking to a mentor from DI

Film crew being silly with Make48 emcee, Lizzy Cook

team member from tiger innovations smiling with part of her prototype

team member from The Ones Who shall not be named cutting a piece of foam

team members from
[Redacted] working at the gridlock table

Vianney 1 team members working on their prototype at the gridlock table

two team members from
Columbia Creators working on their prototype

team
[Redacted] shopping at ACE hardware

Leadership from Make48, UMKC, PLTW, and The DeBruce Foundation group photo

Focus Group members Tom Gray, Martha McCabe and Vickey Bender

Project Lead The Way brought Make48 to UMKC's campus for a very special event!

Make48 is a 48-hour competition where teams are presented with a challenge and tasked to build a physical prototype, create a sales sheet, produce a 1-minute marketing video and pitch their big idea to a panel of judges.

In February 2024, the University of Missouri-Kansas City hosted Project Lead The Way teams for a Make48 competition. With access to expert tool technicians and high-tech equipment, competing teams had the power to build almost anything.

For this challenge, collaboration is the key to success. Many people have big ideas but few possess the resources to develop a prototype that turns them into reality. To build anything, different skills, materials and equipment must work together to create a final product. Make48 allows this process to be achieved with a fun, fast-paced, and educational event. First place team won $2000.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a mission-driven organization that is transforming the learning experience for millions of PreK-12 students and thousands of teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. PLTW’s teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. Approximately 12,200 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead The Way, visit pltw.org.

The Innovation Studio supports its mission through state-of-the-art prototyping, technology, and training. The Innovation Studio plays a unique role in University-Business partnerships by providing the best opportunities for supporting product innovation, while also enhancing the integration of engineering, business, product design, and technology within the UMKC community.

Our Proud Sponsors

Meet the Teams

KIPP KC Legacy H.S.

The Kipp Legacy KC High School Team is made up of engineering design students who want to flex their creative muscles as first-time participants in Make48! They are bringing a wealth of curiosity, creativity, passion and excitement to the event!

Columbia Creators

The Columbia Creators are composed of diverse talents in engineering design, and were brought together through engineering courses, where they have developed their technical skills and passion for design and development.

Innovation Hall Bears

The brand new Willow Springs High School CTE building is sending some great representatives for the Make48 Competition! The Willow Springs team are from the PLTW Engineering and Business departments, coming to represent #onewillow!

[Redacted]

Led by a 20-year Navy veteran turned teacher, these EDD seniors represent the best engineering minds of the three Columbia Missouri high schools and the Columbia Area Career Center PLTW engineering program.

Vianney 1

The Vianney team is a diverse group that is always up for a challenge, whether physical or mental.

Tiger Innovations

Tiger Innovations have three amazing students who have been fantastic in their PLTW classes over the last few years along with Tony Harman, their engineering teacher.

The Ones Who Shall Not Be Named

These Yellow Jackets will bring their individual talents and passions to the table and come together to create and work together to come up with a solution to the challenge.