One of the biggest surprises – and announcements – from Mayor Tom Henry’s State of the City address had little to do with city government at all.Like an auctioneer, Rick Slayback called out ever-rising numbers: 25, 30, 50.
But this was no auction. The numbers were weights, not prices, and they stopped not with a shout of “sold” but with the snap of Popsicle sticks.
Nearly 50 high school students submitted more than 30 model bridges for weight testing Saturday in the 19th Engineers Week High School Bridge Building Contest at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Each contestant constructed a 2-foot-long span made of up to 200 sticks and wood glue. Creators of the strongest bridges were awarded cash prizes.
Slayback, one of the event’s organizers and its master of ceremonies, said the contest is supposed to remove some of the fear associated with engineering and show it can be fun.
“This might spark an interest in them pursuing an engineering career,” he said.
The contest’s strongest bridge weighed about three-quarters of a pound and was able to hold nearly 480 pounds of pressure. Of course, like all the entries, even the strongest eventually snapped in the testing machine, designed by former IPFW students.
Carson White, a Heritage High School freshman, designed the winning bridge; his sister Caylen built it. Building has always been an interest for Carson White, who said he wants to be an engineer.
“All my life I’ve enjoyed creating things, taking things apart,” he said.
The idea for the winning I-beam bridge came from a span near his house, he said. The siblings will share the $300 award, he said.
East Noble High School students Amber Roesener, a senior, and Kathryn Merkling, a sophomore, were able to take a bridge designed for a different contest and use it in Saturday’s event.
Donning matching shirts that read “Nerds Geeks Science Freaks … call us whatever you want. We’ll still be your boss someday,” the two placed third with a half-pound bridge that carried 175 pounds.
Despite their confident apparel, the two were surprised their span held up so well.
“I’m just glad it didn’t bend two pounds in,” Roesener said.
The two split the third-place prize of $100.
Will Voors of Bishop Dwenger High School finished second, which comes with a $200 prize.
Places were determined on a points system that ranked bridges based on the bridge weight, the load it could carry and its resistance to bending.
Prizes were donated by the Northeast Indiana Engineers Week Committee and the Anthony Wayne Chapter of the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers.
