Hundreds Of Students From Across The Country Rise To The Challenge And Compete In The 30th Anniversary RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTEST®

Throughout the two-day event, students in the Apprentice, Middle School, High School and University Divisions vied for first place, building and then showcasing spectacular machines inspired by the legacy of Rube Goldberg, the legendary and iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning engineer and cartoonist, who satirized machine design through his "invention cartoons." These drawings always showcased ridiculously over-complicated machines meant for a simple task and are featured continuously in popular media including movies such as Back to the Future, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and many more. "Rube Goldberg" is the only name included in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as an adjective meaning: a complicated and funny way to complete a simple task.

This year's challenge was to "Pour a Bowl of Cereal" and the Task Sponsor was General Mills. Students from elementary to university levels made this simple task ridiculously complicated and were judged on their teamwork, creativity and the spirit of Rube Goldberg. The 38 teams who competed at the Live Finals won regional competitions, where more than 250 teams competed.

"The students put their hearts and souls into their amazing Rube Goldberg Machines, and built STEM masterpieces that combined creativity and technical skills that would have made my grandfather proud," said Jennifer George, granddaughter of Rube Goldberg, and the RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTEST®'s Legacy Director.  "This year we were blown away by the Finalists' creativity in pouring a bowl of cereal, which bubbled over with artistry, humor and real engineering. Rube would have loved them all, and we are incredibly appreciative of the students, teachers and schools that participated, as well as General Mills for helping to underwrite this year's competition!"

The 2018 RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTEST® 1^st place winners are:

Apprentice (Elementary School)
Professor Butt's Creative Sparks: St. Hubert Catholic School, Hoffman Estates, IL
Apprentice Spirit of Hilarious Invention: Hoover Math and Science Academy, Schaumburg, IL
Apprentice Helping Hand: Collins Elementary School, Schaumburg, IL

Division I (Middle School)
Lyle S Briggs School, Chino, CA

Division II (High School)
Rho Gamma Phi from Chatfield High School, Chatfield, MN

Division III (University)
Purdue PSPE, West Lafayette, IN

Getting its official start in 1988 as a college competition, the RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTEST® uses Rube Goldberg's iconic invention cartoons as its inspiration. Since that time, millions of students, teachers, hosts, inventors, museum personnel and Rube fanatics have participated. The competition is also a learning experience which falls in the category of S.T.E.M. / S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math– and Art) education. Rube Goldberg is often referred to as "the grandfather of S.T.E.M."

For more information visit http://rubegoldberg.com.
B-ROLL Link: Rube Goldberg B-Roll

ABOUT RUBE GOLDBERG:
Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) was a Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist best known for his zany invention cartoons. Rube Goldberg is the only person ever to be listed in the Merriam Webster Dictionary as an adjective. It's estimated that he did a staggering 50,000 cartoons in his lifetime. Rube Goldberg, Inc. is dedicated to keeping laughter and invention alive through the legacy of its namesake. Annual competitions, image licensing, merchandising, and museum and entertainment opportunities continue to grow and enhance the brand. At the helm is Rube's granddaughter, Jennifer George, whose best-selling book on her grandfather, The Art of Rube Goldberg, is now in its fourth printing.  RGI is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting STEM & STEAM education for students of all ages.

SOURCE Rube Goldberg, Inc.