Well, the U.P. may not represent a very big chunk of the population of Michigan, but apparently its high school bridge-building teams are pretty stand-out, because four of the twelve teams chosen to compete statewide are from the U.P.
The competition, the Michigan Design & Build Bridge Challenge, is from the
Michigan Department of Transportation and aims to interest students in careers in civil engineering and transportation. It will be held in Traverse City this week, where the 12 winning teams from across the state will compete.
The four U.P. teams are from Negaunee and Escanaba high schools. The first round of the competition was open to teams in three age groups: seventh and eighth graders, who built truss bridges; ninth and 10th graders, who built drawbridges; and 11th and 12th graders, who built cable-stayed bridges.
Statewide, 80 teams designed and built the bridges. Negaunee High School teams, of three students each, swept the 11th and 12th grade category, winning first, second and third places. The fourth winning U.P. team from Escanaba High School, won third place in the ninth and 10th grade category.
Winners were judged by MDOT engineers on bridge specifications, strength-to-weight ratio, and a PowerPoint presentation on the design and construction.
Two 11th and 12th grade teams from Negaunee also were chosen to be among nine Michigan teams who will compete in a national bridge-building challenge, also held in Traverse City this week.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Michigan Department of Transportation
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