Toy & Game International Excellence Awards - the TAGIEs

2023 Challenge

All winners received a prize package minimally valued at $100. 

Read winner press release here. 

View 2023 event photos here. 

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BEST GAME - Sponsored by Mattel

Senior Winner: Endless by Keegan Franck (8th grade) of Belmont, MA

Junior Winner: Catastrophe of Hairballs by Carol Pack (4th grade) of Palos Heights, IL

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MOST CREATIVE - Sponsored by Crazy Aaron's

Senior Winner: Pirates of the Spinning Sea (7th grade) by Analise Potsander of Goshen, IN

Junior Winner: Hike the Spike by Shaurya Shah (4th grade) of Chicago, IL

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MOST AUTHENTIC - Sponsored by Boogie Board

Senior Winner: Blanket Kingdom by Wolf Danzer (7th grade) of Superior , CO

Junior Winner: Zombie Zania by Shea Curran (4th grade) of Palos Heights, IL

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BEST PITCH - Sponsored by The Toy Association

Senior Winner: Delivering Presents by Claire Schmitt (7th grade) of Evansville, IN

Junior Winner: Makeover by Marley McCall (4th grade) of Palos Heights, IL

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2022 Challenge

All winners received a toy and game package worth $250

BEST GAME - Sponsored by Mattel 

Senior Winners: Chicken Scratch by Avalinn Olson (7th grade) of Lebanon, IL and Ainsley Turkington (8th grade) of Caseyville, IL

Junior Winner: The Flibbertigibbet by Paula Juzenas (4th grade) of Palos Park, IL

Honorable Mention: Micro Golf by John Kampwerth (8th grade) of O’Fallon, IL and Eric Rybak (8th grade) of Collinsville, IL

 

MOST CREATIVE - Sponsored by Crazy Aaron’s

Senior Winners: Water Bottle Maze by Grant Middleton (8th grade) of O’Fallon, IL and Jacob Portera (8th grade) of Caseyville, IL

Junior Winner: Flicking Village of Madness by Robert Fala (4th grade) of Palos Heights, IL

Honorable Mention: Rocket Building Spree by Jeremy Dugan (4th grade) of Skokie, IL and Wilson Emidi (7th grade) of Chicago, IL

 

BEST PITCH - Sponsored by People Of Play: 

Senior Winners: Rock Paper Scissors Brawl by Max Gramelspacher (5th grade) and Oliver Middleton (5th grade) of O’Fallon, IL

Junior Winners: Optimism for Autism by Isabella Slack (4th grade) of Palos Park, IL

Honorable Mention: Hide and Beep by Braxton Holland (10th grade) of Trophy Club, TX

 

2021 Challenge

Press Release of Winners for Fall 2021 HERE!

All winners received a toy and game package worth $250

Most Marketable Sponsored by Goliath

• Junior Winner: Get in my Belly by Betty Bredemus

• Senior Winner: SMASH by Vaylana and Donald Lemon

Best Game by Mattel

• Junior Winner: Chicken Dinner by Aria McGruder

• Senior Winner: FItness BINGO by Olivia Cairl

Most Innovative Pet Toy Sponsored by New Key Pet LLC

• Junior Winner: Puppy Pinata by Lucy Pater and Kaylie Smit

• Senior Winner: Ping Paw Pounce by Solomon Potsander

Most Creative Sponsored by Crazy Aaron's Puttyworld

• Junior Winner: Kawaii Corners by Juliana Zagata

• Senior Winner: Sate-Light by Aden and Anika Nunes

 Most Innovative Toy or Game by Spin Master

• Junior Winner: Musical Squares by Katie Howlett

• Senior Winner: Lotus League by Ellie Lawrence

Most Sustainable Toy or Game sponsored by HABA

• Junior Winner: Bathroom Buddies by Jacob and Isaac Freeman

• Senior Winner: Operation Pollination by Analise Potsander

• Senior Winner: Fishing for Trash by Selah Potsander

 

2020 Fall Challenge

All winners received a toy and game package worth $250

Best Playful Learning Concept

• King of the Board by Antonio Banuelas of Frisco, TX, Senior Winner

• Protect the Garden by Jacob Freeman of Jenkintown, PA, Junior Winner 

Best Game Concept – Sponsored by Goliath

• Diamond Heist by Anna Cuesta of Rolling Hill Estates, CA & Luna Delgado of Torrance, CA, Senior Winner

• Chicken Poo Bingo by Cooper Dean of Valrico, FL, Junior Winner

Best Outdoor and Active Play Concept – Sponsored by Hasbro

• Magic Gem Race by Noah Berg of Glencoe, IL & Calder Kite of Sherman Oaks, CA, Senior Winner

• P.E. Catastrophe by Victoria Skwarek of Palos Park, IL, Junior Winner

Most Marketable Concept – Sponsored by Magformers

• Bead It Best by Ellie Lawrence of Denver, CO, Senior Winner

• Forest Face Off by Vivienne Gallovitch of Palos Park, IL, Junior Winner

Most Creative Game Concept – Sponsored by Mattel

• Ninja Penguins by Katherine T. of Joliet, IL, Senior Winner

• Sasquatch Stomp by Joey Kostelnik & Dominick Rhodes, both of Palos Heights, IL, Junior Winner

 

2020 Spring Challenge

Sponsored by Mattel and Magformers

Senior Winners:

• Weston Aram, 7th grade, from LaGrange, Illinois for PuzzleBots 

• Andrew Hebdon, 5th Grade, from Forest Virginia for ​Color Code

Junior Winners:

• Emery Alderson, 3rd Grade, from Horsham, Pennsylvania for Slap Happy

• Analise Potsander, 3rd Grade, from Goshen, Indiana for Cooking Collision

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2019

Pictures can be found HERE!

Best Game

Sponsored by Spin Master

$250 Scholarship Money, Tower of Games (provided by our sponsors), 3D Printed Action Figure

Junior:  

Quinn Curran, 4th Grade, from Palos Heights, Illinois for Blindfolded Builder

Senior:  

Diego Humberto Martínez and Dario Yañez, 9th Grade, from Monterrey, Mexico for Tic Tac Cubed

Best Playful Learning Concept

Sponsored by the Chicago Toy and Game Foundation

$250 Scholarship Money, Tower of Games (provided by our sponsors), 3D Printed Action Figure

Junior:  

Mason Marable, 4th Grade, from Palos Park, Illinois and Cash Phillips, 4th Grade from Orland Park Illinois for NFL Battles

Senior:

Aashi Sinha, 8th grade, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin for Rescue Buddies

Most Creative Concept:

Sponsored by PlayMonster

$500 Scholarship Money, Tower of Games (provided by our sponsors), 3D Printed Action Figure

Junior: 

Violet Kooyenga and Piper Sterling, 4th grade from Palos Park, Illinois for Beat the Bullies

Most Marketable Concept:

Sponsored by Pressman/Goliath

$250 Scholarship Money, Tower of Games (provided by our sponsors), 3D Printed Action Figure
Junior: 

Addison Wiersma, 4th grade from Palos Heights, Illinois for Totally Chick

Senior: 

Zoe Bain and Isabella Murch, 6th grade, from Fishers, Indian for House of Cards

Best Presentation:

Sponsored by Yulu and the Toy Association

2 night stay in NY, Presenter at the TOTY Awards and a tour of Toy Fair, $250 spending money and 3D Printed Action Figure

Junior:

Iliyan Shariff, 4th grade, from Chicago, Illinois for Cube World, the Board Game

Senior: 

Eliana Lawrence, 9th grade, from Denver, Colorado for Firehawk

Kyle Levy and Robert Becker from Glencoe, Illinois for Barrier Battles

2018 

GRAND PRIZE 

Most Marketable Concept

(Sponsored by Target and Pressman Toys)
Cain Guerra, 4th grade, from Palos Park, Illinois for "Soup It"

​Lily Brown from Alpine, Utah and Tait Hansen, 6th grade, from Evanston, Illinois for "Bet You Can’t"  

 Lyra Acosta, 5th grade, from Palos Hills, Illinois for "Hypnodizzy"​

Most Outstanding Presentation

(Sponsored by The Genius of Play™, an initiative by The Toy Association)

​Prince Nallamothula, 3rd grade, from Frisco, Texas for "The Happy Family Game" (Jr)

 Riley Pritzlaff, 9th grade,  from Cedar Park, TX for "Market on the Move" (Sr)​

Best Playful Learning Concept

(Sponsored by LEGO Systems)

​Noah Berg, 5th grade, from Chicago, Illinois for  "GGEO"  (Jr)

​Sahaj Kasturi, 7th grade, from Reston, Virginia for "Battle of Four Armies"  (Sr)​

Best Ride-On or Wheeled Concept

(Sponsored by Razor USA)

​Julia Moffett, 4th grade, from Palos Heights, Illinois for "Ski Shoes"  (Jr)

Caleb, 10th grade, and Keegan, 9th grade, Southard from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida for "Street Ray" (Sr)​

Most Creative Concept 

(Sponsored by PlayMonster Toys)

​Analise Potsander, 2nd grade, from Goshen, Indiana for "Room Builder" (Jr)

​Violet Peters, 6th grade, from South Yarmoth, Massachusetts for "Book It"  (Sr) ​

Best Game Concept

(Sponsored by SpinMaster Toys)

​Lucy Alford and Sarah Zaibak, 5th grade, from Palos Park, Illinois for "Fear the Frosting "  (Jr)

​Dabney, 9th grade, and William, 7th grade, Peters from South Yarmoth, Massachusetts for "Heroes of the Fray"  (Sr)

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2017

Most Outstanding Presentation (Mattel):

Tanush Doshi - Chase the Loot! (Chicago, IL)  JR
Charlotte Jiru - Alicia Boop Insta-Boutique (Whittier, CA) SR 

Best Pitch Video/Commercial (Spin Master):
Charlie Rosynek and Broderick Rosello - Balance Boat (Palos Heights, IL) JR

Liam Kivirist - Virtual Reality Colossal Chess (Browntown, WI) SR
Best Outdoor / Active Play Concept (Hasbro):

Noah Berg - RUINOWAZLIB (Chicago, IL) JR
Sampson Neyman - Exercise Challenge (Chicago, IL) JR​

Best Educational Concept (LEGO):
Abhi Majumdar - Magnetic Marchers (Chicago, IL) JR
Dana Dimitriu - Puzzleletters (San Antonio, TX) SR

Most Creative Concept (PlayMonster):
Edie Piacenza - There’s a Poo on My Shoe! (Elmhurst, IL) JR

Tiggy Sliwinski - Draw-n to Crime (Palos Hills, IL) SR​

Most Marketable Concept (Pressman/Target):
Patrick Ready - Dino Can You Dig It? (Palos Heights, IL) JR

​Ellie Skalla - Galactiquest (Oak Park, IL)  SR

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2016

Target and Pressman Grand Prize Winners:

Olivia Wasilewski and Brynna Siewers for Ship of Treasures

Junior Winner:

Tanush Doshi for Get Wow'd By Wild Kratts

Senior Winner:

Julia Herod and Jasmine Erikson for Feel to Find

Junior Runner Up:

Bella Narciso and John Pempek for Seastack

Senior Runner Up:

Kaori Ochoa Aoki for Just Word It

People's Choice: 

Evelyn Dalton and Madeline Niemiec for Creativity Glue

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2015

Senior Category Winner
Steven Huetteman

Junior Category Winner
Kedar Narayann

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2014

Senior Category Winner
Julia Shoppach and Cara Wendt

Junior Category Winner
Kate Forden and Mikayla Hartunian

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2013

Senior Category Winner
Nathan Sun

Junior Category Winner
Dora Ivkovich

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2012

Senior Category Winners
Charlie Davis and Ethan Hawker

Junior Category Winners
Bryce Wiersmaand Walker Ahluwalia

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2011

Senior Category Winner
Nick Metzler

Junior Category Winner
Isabella Miller and Simon Shifrin

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2010

Senior Category Winner
Nick Metzler

Junior Category Winner
Adrik Herbert

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2009

Winner
Isabella Miller and Madison Yang

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2008

Senior Category Winner
Joe Basile

Junior Category Winner
Hannah Allen and Ella Lambert

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2007

Winner

Lenny Brahin