Marbles, tubes and dominoes could all be in the blueprints when area children begin building machines for a chance to win a prize from Salina Tech.

With their regular summer camp delayed until late July, Salina Area Technical College is announcing a sort of tech camp – at home for kids. “That’s the plan,” Alisha Jester, Industrial Coordinator at Salina Tech said.

Jester joined in on the KSAL Morning News Extra to make the announcement, kicking off a “Rube Goldberg Machine Challenge.”

A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex machine that does a simple task – built using everyday objects or toys in a creative way to solve a challenge, like raising a flag or turning on a light switch. Along the way kids in three age groups will compete and learn about levers, inclined planes and transfer of energy.

Jester adds the chance for kids to work on planning and problem solving all come into play as they develop plans for a a machine that could earn them a nice prize to enjoy like an Amazon gift card. Extra credit is available to those who can work a little Salina Area Technical College swag into the scheme.

Video of the working project will be due by the end of May and judging will begin June 1, 2020. The contest includes three groups: 4th and 5th Graders, 6th and 7th Graders and 8th, 9th and 10th Graders competing against each other respectively.

Learn more online at Salina Tech’s Facebook page:

Home video of  Salina Tech’s Diesel Instructor Mac Loucks and his son, and their amazing machine.