The atmosphere was electric as fifth and sixth grade engineers took over the at Mineola High School gym on April 18 for the 2026 Regional Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. This year’s task sounded deceptively simple: Open a Box. However, in the world of Rube Goldberg, the longest, most convoluted path to the finish line is always the winning one.

A Surprise Guest Star

The excitement reached a fever pitch when the event’s emcee was introduced: Zach Umperovitch, the world-renowned "King of Contraptions" and star of the popular YouTube channel Zach’s Contraptions.

For our students, this was a "rockstar" moment. Having spent weeks studying Umperovitch’s videos to learn the finer points of energy transfers and chain reactions, seeing him in person—armed with official Rube Goldberg signage—transformed the competition into a world-class stage. The kids were thrilled to show off their designs to the man whose videos inspired their own builds.
 
And the Winners Are…

The competition was fierce, with teams judged on their creativity, storytelling and the mechanical reliability of their machines. Congratulations to the following teams for their outstanding performances:

Top Overall Teams:

• 1st Place: Pirates of Mineola
• 2nd Place: Mineola Things
• 3rd Place: The Crew

Regional Finalists:

• 6th Place: Season Slayers
• 7th Place: The Circus
• 8th Place: The Cardboard Gamers

Specialty Awards

While the final goal was to open a box, several teams were recognized for their unique approach to the engineering process:

• Best Use of Materials: The Circus wowed judges with their inventive repurposing of everyday items.
• Teamwork Award: The Crew demonstrated the seamless collaboration necessary to manage a multi-step contraption.
• Perseverance Award: The Cardboard Gamers showed incredible grit, troubleshooting their machine until the very last second.
• Best Presentation: Season Slayers brought the most flair and narrative energy to their demonstration.

Simple Task, Complex Science

From "Pirate" voyages to "Circus" spectacles, our learners displayed incredible mastery of STEM principles. By utilizing inclined planes, pulleys and complex energy transfers, these young innovators proved that even the simplest task can become a masterpiece of physics when you apply a little imagination.

Beyond the trophies, the contest provided a masterclass in resilience. A Rube Goldberg machine is designed to fail—repeatedly—until the perfect sequence is found. Our students spent the day troubleshooting on the fly, demonstrating the critical thinking and sportsmanship that defines our district.

Congratulations to all our participants for making the 2026 Regionals a resounding success!

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