Once again this year, several Crossroads students participated in the SLU BEAMS bridge building competition, and once again our teams were quite successful, placing second and seventh (and winning the Most Aesthetic Award). Each team designs and builds a balsa wood bridge to specs and submits a report on their process. Winners are determined by maximum load supported, load efficiency, report quality, aesthetics, and adherence to specs. Teams began the design process back in November, and the competition culminated on Feb 27, when 24 teams from across the region gathered at SLU to test their bridges.
Crossroads Team 1, made up of LaVaughn Caradine, Alex Zan, Faith Blank, and Emily Feng, finished in approximately 7th place, with a bridge that supported an impressive 61.2lbs. Well done!
Crossroads Team 2’s bridge (built by Milton Green, Evan Chen, Francesca Raucci, and Kafele Wimbley) held an amazing 138lbs to finish in 2nd place! Their bridge also won the Most Aesthetic Award.
Join me in congratulating all of these students. I continue to be impressed with the quality of their work and the success they’ve experienced in this competition, having won five (out of twelve possible) trophies in the past three years. Great job!
Photo Captions: (From L to R): Francesca Raucci, Evan Chen, Milton Green, and Kafele Wimbley slowly add weight as they test their bridge.
(From L to R): Emily Feng, Faith Blank, and LaVaughn Caradine, with the remains of their bridge after maxing out at 61.2lbs. (Alex Zan not pictured.)
(From L to R): Evan Chen, Kafele Wimbley, and Francesca Raucci receive their 2nd Place and Most Aesthetic trophies. (Milton Green not pictured.)
