Southeast Mo. high school students compete in MoDOT’s 19th Annual Bridge Building Competition

SOUTHEAST Mo. (KFVS) - After weeks of work to build the most efficient model bridges, southeast Missouri high school students put them to the test on Thursday, November 17.

Missouri Department of Transportation’s 19th Annual Bridge Building Competition challenged high school juniors and seniors to design and build the most efficient model bridge using just balsa wood, thread and glue.

According to MoDOT, Oak Ridge, Chaffee and Ste. Genevieve High Schools received first, second and third place for best overall performance, respectively.

These schools received cash prizes donated by the Southeast Chapter Transportation Employee Association of Missouri.

In addition, students were recognized for building the lightest bridges that carried the greatest loads.

Those winners included:

• 1st – Ayné Held – Chaffee
• 2nd – Kendall Marshall – Oak Ridge
• 3rd – Karson Ward – Oak Ridge
• 4th – Tanner Slinkard – Oak Ridge
• 5th – Brock Hobeck – Oak Ridge

According to MoDOT, other awards included the most aesthetic bridge presented to Ayné Held of Chaffee High School and the computer-based electronic bridge award presented to Noland Beussink of Leopold 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 to offer high school seniors interested in civil engineering up to $10,000 in scholarships.

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