Highpoint School is known as a place for second chances, and that’s exactly what middle and high school students who participated in last year’s Bridge Building Contest received on Feb. 6 – a chance to build a stronger bridge. Classrooms were buzzing with excitement as teams showed off their inventions at the second annual competition and vied for a chance at the $60 grand prize.
With the support of educators, nearly 20 teams worked together over the course of three weeks to master mathematical equations and explore the strength of geometric shapes in the hopes of designing a bridge that could withstand five to 30-pound weights. However, the competition wasn’t just about building bridges. Highpoint staff used the project to build students’ confidence, foster an environment that promotes teamwork and encourage teams to use their problem-solving skills. Students like Khadijah Coleman, who participated in the competition last year, learned from their mistakes and were able to improve their building techniques and the structural integrity of their bridge.
“I learned that triangles really make the bridge sturdy because they help with weight distribution,” said the 11th grader. “If you don’t have enough triangles or if the bottom can’t hold weight, then it’s over for your bridge.”
Administrators invited community members, including engineering and architectural professionals, to serve as guest judges. Each bridge was evaluated on efficiency using a student-created formula that calculated its weight, the weight it could hold before breaking and its creative design. Teams brought their A-game and proved that a little bit of math and much determination can build something truly remarkable!
To learn more about HCDE Schools, visit hcde-texas.org/special-schools.