Education

Negaunee students take top honors at national bridge event

Public Radio 90, WNMU

Published May 25, 2023 at 9:37 AM EDT

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The 906 Bridge Co. team took first place in the 11th - 12th grade division. From left: Thomas McCollum, Phil Nelson, and Ryan Hemmila of Negaunee High School in Negaunee, Mich. They were congratulated by Acting MDOT Director Brad Wieferich.

SEATTLE, WA— A team from Negaunee High School won first place in a bridge-building competition in Seattle last week.

The students competed against other young engineers at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Bridge Challenge competition May 16^th. The goal was to develop a bridge that carries as much weight as possible while weighing as little as possible.

The event consisted of using software to design a bridge; building a physical bridge model using glue and balsa wood; developing a portfolio; making a presentation in front of a panel of judges; and destructive testing of the bridge models to calculate their strength-to-weight ratios.

First place in the 11^th and 12^th grade division was 906 Bridge Co. from Negaunee High School, consisting of Ryan Hemmila, Thomas McCollum, and Phil Nelson.