Chicago students attempt to set world record for largest mosaic made out of cereal boxes

CHICAGO - A group of Chicago high school students is attempting to set a new world record – all while raising money for those impacted by the war in Ukraine.

Students spent hours Wednesday at Wintrust Financial Corporation’s Grand Banking Hall, where they set a goal to construct the world’s largest mosaic flag made out of cereal boxes.

Using nearly 5,000 blue and yellow cereal boxes – donated by Kellogg’s – about two-dozen students worked together to create a massive Ukrainian flag.

It's never been done before to this scale.

"We decided to go with Corn Pops and Rice Krispies," said Ryder Shiffman, one of the high school students who worked on the project.  

The group is applying for a new Guinness World Record for the "Largest Packaged Food Mosaic of a Flag."

They are also trying to break the current world record for "Largest Cardboard Box Mosaic" — which was completed in 2019 in Saudi Arabia and measured 139 square meters. 

The mosaic created by the students measures just over 266 square meters!

"It’s a math problem, really, but we wanted to beat the Guinness Book of World Records," said Sherry Koppel, the project’s art consultant. "The kids did it, and they did it fast."

Through sponsored cereal boxes, the ‘Chicago Children United for Ukraine Cereal Box Mosaic Project’ is raising funds for Ukraine – with 100 percent of the proceeds to benefit humanitarian aid.

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"It means a lot because after everything that's going on with Ukraine right now, it's really important that people are spreading awareness," said Shiffman.

"We wanted to come together to raise awareness and support people of Ukraine," said Michael Kotcher, another student. "Everyone came together to support."

Plus, all of the cereal boxes will be donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository once the students’ world record application is submitted.

"I feel amazing, I’m really happy that we were able to get it done. We thought it would take a couple days, it ended up taking only a couple of hours which was great," said Shiffman.

A surveyor from the Guinness Book of World Records is scheduled to visit Wintrust’s Grand Banking Hall on Thursday to view the mosaic and determine if a new record has been set.

On Friday, the mosaic will be deconstructed, and the cereal boxes will be donated to those in need. 

The public can still partake in the project by sponsoring a cereal box. For more information, click here.