Capital Region schools face off in model bridge competition
LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Several schools from around the Capital Region faced off in the annual Model Bridge & Catwalk Competition in Latham on Saturday. Around 200 bridges from 16 schools were entered into the contest.
As part of the 45th Capital Region E-Week Model Bridge & Catwalk Competition, middle and high school students were challenged to build a model truss-type or arch-type bridge out of balsa wood and yellow carpenter's glue. The bridge models, which fit inside a shoe box, are then measured, weighed and tested to determine their maximum load and efficiency.
The winners of the contest, which is held in celebration of Engineers Week, received cash prizes up to $500. Categories included efficiency and maximum load and were split by traditional model bridges and enhanced model bridges as well as by team and school.
In addition to efficiency, each model will also be judged on aesthetics. Voting for this portion of the competition is open to the public until March 28 at 11 p.m. Videos of the models and voting forms can be found on the Enginuity Design website.
Five middle schools and 14 high schools participated in the competition. Every participating student was invited to Shaker High School on Saturday to watch the videos of their models being judged, meet engineers and discuss how they built their bridges.
Participating Schools
- Keene Central School
- New Lebanon Middle School
- Rensselaer Junior Senior High School
- Shaker Middle School
- Watervliet Junior High School
- Albany Academy
- Amsterdam High School
- Averill Park High School
- Ballston Spa High School
- Christian Brothers Academy
- Colonie Central High School
- Greenwich High School
- La Salle Institute
- Lake George High School
- Shaker High School
- Shenendehowa High School
The competition came at no cost to the students or schools. The event was funded and sponsored by Structural Engineering Institute of the Mohawk-Hudson Section of ASCE, Enginuinty Engineering & Design, C.T. Male Associates and their corporate sponsors.
A list of the winning teams and schools for the 2025 competition can be viewed below. The results can also be found on the Enginuity Design website.
Winners
Top scoring bridges in Middle School Model Catwalk Competition — Max. load
- Watervliet Junior High School — 131 lbs.
- Rensselaer Junior High School — 123 lbs.
- Rensselaer Junior High School — 119lbs
Top scoring bridges in Middle School Model Catwalk Competition — Max. efficiency
- Keene Central School
- Watervliet Junior High School
- Shaker Middle School
Top scoring traditional bridges in High School Model Bridge Competition — Max. load
- Shenendehowa High School — 196 lbs..
- Rensselaer Sr. High School — 182 lbs.
- Greenwich High School — 150 lbs.
Top scoring traditional bridges in High School Model Bridge Competition — Max. efficiency
- Colonie Central High School
- Ballston Spa High School
- Rensselaer Sr. High School
Top scoring enhanced bridges in High School Model Bridge Competition — Max. load
- Shaker High School — 586 lbs.
- Shaker High School — 484 lbs.
- Shaker High School — 451 lbs.
Top scoring enhanced bridges in High School Model Bridge Competition — Max. efficiency
- Rensselaer Sr. High School
- Shaker High School
- Shaker High School
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