Student engineers build bridges

TICONDEROGA | Many budding engineers showed up to build and crush balsa wood bridges in the 10th-annual Ticonderoga Bridge Building Contest. Students from Ticonderoga Middle and High School, and Crown Point and St. Mary's schools all participated in the recent event held at Ticonderoga Elementary-Middle School. Organizers said many of the participants were female, a goal of the project to get more women into engineering. "The Kiwanis members would like to say thank you to Graham Bailey for his continued dedication to this project as well as many other fundraisers," Kiwanis Club member Darlene Dorsett said. "He will be missed (as event organizer). "Also, the Kiwanis Club would like to welcome aboard Anthony DeFranco Jr. for stepping up and taking on this project for Graham. We're looking forward to many upcoming events." The Middle School student teams designed their bridges and constructed them out of popsicle sticks during a 90 minute time limit, and then loaded a bucket suspended from the bridge with weights until the bridge collapsed, resulting in displays of shattering popsicle sticks. The bridges built by the Middle School students had to carry more than 50 pounds before breaking. The formula was weight of the load the bridge carried prior to failing, in pounds, divided by the weight in grams of the bridge. Trophies were presented for aesthetics and bridge efficiency. Ticonderoga Central School Superintendent Dr. John McDonald Jr. addressed students prior to the loading of the bridges, and noted that engineering can be a very rewarding career. The High School students designed and built their balsa wood bridges in school as part of physics class. Their units were also judged for efficiency and aesthetics. Members of this year's contest were invited to compete in the Capital District Engineers Week celebration at the Albany Marriott Inn in February 2018. Kiwanis will provide a scholarship award to a Ticonderoga graduating senior enrolled in engineering. Judges for the aesthetic portion of the contest were Joyce Cooper, James O'Toole and Joseph Giordano. DeFranco, McDonald and Giordano spoke to the students about the challenges and rewards of becoming an engineer. Many Kiwanis Club members volunteered at the contest, including Graham Bailey, John Bartlett, Jack Bast, Joyce Cooper, Kenneth Engler, Donald Johnston, William Pitman, Pamela Savage, Steve Boyce, Darlene Dorsett, and Anthony DeFranco Jr. DeFranco recognized the teachers who prepared the students for the event. Teachers were Jim Marshall, Paul Jebb, Bill Clark, Michael Ukel, Rebecca Brosky and Donna LaBounty. The Ticonderoga Kiwanis sponsors for this year's event were DeFranco Landscaping, Reale Construction, International Paper, Rotary Club of Northern Lake George and the Ticonderoga Teachers' Association. WINNERS Middle School 3rd Place Aesthetics (St. Mary's): Kathryn Moran and Madeline Lender. Middle School 2nd Place Aesthetics (Ticonderoga): Jack Michalak and Raelyn King. Middle School 1st Place Aesthetics (St. Mary's): Kennedy McKeown and Riley Abare. Middle School 3rd Place Efficiency (St. Mary's): BayLeigh Clark and Aubrey Whitford. Middle School 2nd Place Efficiency (Ticonderoga): Nora Denno and Brent Olden. Middle School 1st Place Efficiency (St. Mary's): David LaPoint and Connor Robarge-Greene. Rookie Efficiency (St. Mary's): Robert O'Neil. High School 3rd Place Aesthetics (Ticonderoga): Ethan Hill and Austin Bornao. High School 2nd Place Aesthetics (Ticonderoga): Michel DuShane, Bryce Gautreau, and Jack Grinnell. High School 1st Place Aesthetics (Ticonderoga): Clayton Spaulding and John Wright. High School 3rd Place Efficiency (Crown Point): Kenneth LaDeau and Emily Russell. High School 2nd Place Efficiency (Ticonderoga): Ethan Hill. High School 1st Place Efficiency (Ticonderoga): Clayton Spaulding and John Wright.

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