Ste. Genevieve, Leopold win MoDOT’s 20th annual bridge building competition
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Southeast Missouri high school students put their model bridges to the test Wednesday at the Missouri Department of Transportation’s 20th Annual Bridge Building Competition.
The competition challenges high school juniors and seniors to design and construct the most efficient model bridge using limited materials—balsa wood, thread and glue.
Best overall performance went to Ste. Genevieve, Chaffee and Hartville High Schools received first, second and third place. These schools received cash prizes.
Students were also recognized for building the lightest bridges that carried the greatest loads.
- Hope Schmelzle – Ste. Genevieve
- Vinil Bhagha – Ste. Genevieve
- Josh Horrell – Leopold
- Ayne Held – Chaffee
- Myra Roth – Saxony Lutheran
Other awards included the most aesthetic bridge that went to Ayne Held of Chaffee High School and the computer-based electronic bridge award presented to Houston Lafferty of Leopold High School.
Prize donations were made possible by SE Chapter Transportation Employee Association of Missouri, Southeast Coalition for Roadway Safety, Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing, Cape Girardeau Noon Optimist, SE Chapter of Missouri Society of Professional Engineers and Three Rivers College.
MoDOT also partnered with Arkansas State University, University of Missouri-Columbia, Southeast Missouri State University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Southern Illinois University to offer seniors interested in civil engineering up to $10,000 in scholarships.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Southeast Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety were also on hand during the competition to discuss the importance of buckling-up.
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