SIKESTON—After weeks of work to build the most efficient model bridges, Southeast Missouri high school students put their bridges to the test Thursday (Nov. 21) at the completion of MoDOT’s 21st 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.
Ste. Genevieve High School – First Place
Perryville Area Career and Technology Center – Third Place
Saxony Lutheran High School – Fifth Place
Ste. Genevieve High School, Leopold High School and Perryville Area Career and Technology Center received first, second and third place for best overall performance, respectively. These schools received cash prizes.
In addition, students were recognized for building the lightest bridges that carried the greatest loads
Individual winners included:
1st – Anna Kluesner – Leopold
2nd – Jonathan Pfeiffer – Saxony Lutheran
3rd – Aveney Kandiah – Notre Dame
4th – Lane Okenfuss – Perryville CTC
5th – Sophia Huck – Ste. Genevieve
6th Drake Weibrecht – Ste. Genevieve
7 Joleigh Parker – Ste. Genevieve
9th – Chase Thompson – Perryville Area Career and Technology Center
10th – Linley Wehner – Ste. Genevieve
Most Aesthetic – Ian Cairns — Ste. Genevieve
Other awards included the most aesthetic bridge presented to Ian Cairns of Ste. Genevieve High School and the computer-based electronic bridge award presented to Logan Shy of Delta High School.
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-Carbondale to offer seniors interested in civil engineering up to $10,000 in scholarships.
Representatives from Cape Girardeau Safe Communities were on hand to educate students on safe driving with the Fatal Vision goggles.
“It’s important to come to learn about the engineering process and the importance of traffic safety. We have had five kids recently go in to engineering, and I think this event may have helped them go into the programs,” said Darla Bridges, Bernie High School teacher.
Additional information is available at www.modot.org/bridge-competition.