News Release Archive

An Exciting Day of Bridge Testing for Colorado High School Students at the 50th Annual Colorado High School Bridge Building Contest

Media Contact: Emily Quinn, 303-445-2807

For Release: February 18, 2017

Students modifying their bridges to ensure they meet the specifications for the competition.Colorado high school students participated in the 50th annual Colorado High School Bridge Building Contest today to put their bridge building skills to the test. Students crafted their very own, small-scale bridges, and competed to see whose bridges could hold the highest weight loads. Prizes included scholarships, technology gadgets, and other fun items. The top two winners also received an opportunity to attend the International Bridge Building Competition in Dallas, Texas, happening later this year.

In Region 1, Michael Schindewolf of Front Range Christian High School took first place with a bridge that weighed 9.9 g., giving it a max load of 63.97 kg. Michael Sly of Front Range Christian High School won second place with a bridge weighing 14.33 g., which supported 61.24 kg. Joel LeMaster of Front Range Christian High School took third with a bridge weighting 9.07 g., which supported 37.06 kg.

In Region 2, Christian Dalland of Rampart High School won first place with a bridge weighing 20.50 g. that supported 99.19 kg. Nikolas Provost of Rampart High School took second place with a bridge that weighed 15.89 g., and that supported 75.13 kg. In third place, Thomas Scrivener, of Doherty High School built a bridge that weighed 39.04 g. and supported 73.75 kg.

Each year, students from across Colorado gather at the Bureau of Reclamation’s Materials Engineering and Research Laboratory to test out their homemade, small-scale bridges. These bridges are made by the students, using only a few, basic materials. At the competition, these bridges are then tested to determine how much weight each is able to support. The top three bridges determined to have the highest structural efficiency ratings determine each region’s top three winners.

The state is split into two regions: northern (Region One) and southern (Region Two). The first and second place winners from each region are invited to compete at the International Bridge Building Contest, where prizes have included college scholarships that go toward science and engineering education programs. This year, first place students from Region 1 and Region 2 each took home a $2,000 scholarship provided by the National Society of Professional Engineers and the American Council of Engineering in Colorado.

The Colorado High School Bridge Building Contest is aimed at providing interaction and communication among practicing engineers, high school students, and other professionals. Its underlying objectives are to enhance the appeal of engineering careers to high school students, begin establishing their relationships with the professional community, and improve the prospects that such careers will be mutually beneficial to both society and the individual. Reclamation, the National Society of Professional Engineers of Colorado and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado sponsor the competition.

Check out the photos from this year’s event on our Flickr page!

# # #

The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.