Young bridge builders compete

Grade 7 and 8 students from across the city put their engineering skills to the test Tuesday in a very sticky competition.

A group of 50 students representing all three school boards constructed mini bridges as part of the regional skills competition. Students were given 16 balsa sticks, two tubes of glue and a metre of string.

With those items the groups had to design and construct a foot-long bridge. The bridges were tested for strength by attaching weights to them.

Confederation College sponsored the competition, and the students volunteered to compete after studying bridge style and design in school.

Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded to groups with the strongest designs. The winners also received gift cards.

The gold medal went to Kakebeka Falls school, Ecole secondaire catholique de La Verendrye took silver and Valley Central school walked away with a bronze.

The next Regional Skills Competition will be in the spring for robotics.