GACTC students exercise practical skills in LHU bridge building competition

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Competition participants and their bridges

LOCK HAVEN, PA (05/31/2012)(readMedia)-- High school students put their scientific learning to the test in a regional bridge building competition hosted by Lock Haven University on May 19.  The object of the competition was to provide a hands-on learning experience in which high school students could demonstrate their understanding of scientific and engineering skills in forming mechanical structures-in this case, bridges.  Two teams from the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center participated in the competition.

Dr. Marian Tzolov, associate professor of physics and chair of the Bridge Competition Organizing Committee, explained the purpose of the competition.  "LHU wishes to facilitate the integration of science and engineering-related activities into the high school curriculum," he said.

Materials for building the bridges were provided to the high schools by the Lock Haven University physics program.

The students were organized into teams to design and build one bridge per team.  Then, on May 19, Lock Haven University hosted a bridge-testing competition.

The students were able to interact and share their experiences as they tested the efficiency of their bridges.  All bridges were tested until they collapsed – and the last bridge standing was declared the winner. The event closed with a competition honoring the winning team, Aminish Chavan and Jake Bowman from Central Mountain High School.

"It was a great event," said Dr. Tzolov. "All of the students were very excited and I believe they did a very good job."

The students from the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center were as follows:

Team One: Jolene Depiro, Zach Miller, Jeff Schmidt Jr. and Kayla Aurandt; Team Two: Karissa Garlena, Austin Hallinan, Joshua Matthews and Zach Gates.  They were accompanied by their teacher Mr. Shane E. Stoehr.

Lock Haven University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the largest provider of higher education in the commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 405,000 system alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.