Three sophomore students at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, Bethany Ramsbottom, Hudson, Maria Alvarado Velasquez, Marlborough, and Brianna Fontes, Hudson, earned the third place trophy in the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Model Bridge Design Competition for Ultimate Load Efficiency. All three students are in the Principals of Engineering class, and are members of Assabet’s Engineering Academy.
The BSCES holds the bridge contest annually, with the criteria changing year to year. This year the bridge had to be made of wheat pasta and hot melt glue. Last year it was chopsticks. The bridge could weigh up to 3 pounds, but the Assabet bridge weighed in at 1 pound 12 ounces, yet it held 40 pounds of weight. The young ladies worked on their own after school and weekends to construct the bridge. The competition was held this year at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation headquarters in Boston.
