Nine Kansas City Metro teams to compete in regiona

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teams of students from eight area schools and the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization will compete on March 4 in the Division 1 Regional Rube Goldberg Machine Contest ^®  at the Museum at Prairiefire in Overland Park. Sponsored by Black & Veatch, middle school age students will build a Rube Goldberg Machine™. It’s a crazy contraption which accomplishes a simple task in the most complicated and funniest way possible. This year’s task is: Apply a Band-Aid®. The contest is free and open to the public.

This is the second year in a row that Black & Veatch has sponsored the competition. The company is the exclusive engineering partner for the 2017 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest (RGMC).

“This contest is an entertaining way for students to apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills,” said Lori Kelleher, Chief Human Resources Officer for Black & Veatch. “This hands-on learning opportunity is very applicable for students interested in careers in STEM-related areas including vital infrastructure projects and smart cities development.”

Kansas City area teams are competing in the Division 1 competition for students ages 11-14. They are from Indian Woods Middle School , Harmony Middle School and Oxford Middle School in Overland Park, Kansas; Big Brothers Big Sisters , New Mark Middle School and Center School District in Kansas City, Missouri; Trail Ridge Middle School in Gardner, Kansas; Mill Creek Middle School in Lenexa, Kansas; and Merriam Park Elementary in Merriam, Kansas.

Team sizes range from four to 10 students. The competition begins at 9 a.m. in the Museum at Prairiefire, 5801 W. 135 ^th Street. The winner of the Black & Veatch regional competition is eligible to compete, with all other regional winners, in the Live Finals for the RGMC Division 1 Championship title on March 25 in Columbus, Ohio.

Editor’s Note:

• The Indian Woods Wolves team won the 2016 Kansas City area championship.

About Black & Veatch Black & Veatch is an employee-owned, global leader in building critical human infrastructure in Energy, Water, Telecommunications and Government Services. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries through consulting, engineering, construction, operations and program management. Our revenues in 2015 were US$3 billion. Follow us at  www.bv.com and on social media.

Media Contact Information: GEORGE MINTER | +1 913-458-8001 P | +1 913-972-8811 M | MinterGA@bv.com   24-HOUR MEDIA HOTLINE | +1 866-496-9149

About the Museum at Prairiefire Through a unique collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, as well as with other cultural and educational institutions in the Kansas City area, the Museum at Prairiefire is a place to understand and celebrate natural history and culture in our region and around the world. The Museum engages visitors and area students with world-class exhibitions, important programming and significant educational opportunities. It is the nation’s first permanent venue hosting continuous traveling American Museum of Natural History exhibitions. 5801 W. 135th Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66223 - Phone: (913) 333-3500 - museumatpf.org

Media Contact Information: CARSON CURRY | +1 913-333-3519 P | +1 913-967-9154 | carson@museumatpf.org