SPRINGFIELD — “Outlandish machines” designed by area fifth graders will be on display at Lincoln Land Community College on Feb. 28.

Lincoln Land is hosting the ninth annual Springfield Area Rube Goldberg Competition. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Student Union on the lower level of Menard Hall.

This year, 12 classrooms are participating from Dubois Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Our Savior Lutheran, Owen Marsh Elementary, Rochester Intermediate, Springfield Christian and Trinity Lutheran – Springfield.

Admissions is free.

A Rube Goldberg device, such as the board game “Mousetrap,” is an outlandish machine designed to complete a certain task through a number of complex steps.

Currently, teams are building Rube Goldberg devices that will fold a piece of paper.

Students are helped by engineer volunteers who visit classrooms. They give instruction on machines and engineering in general, along with suggestions for their “secret” Rube Goldberg.

This events introduces children to a career in engineering or related field.