Future Engineers To Showcase Skills At National Competition

GUNTOWN, Miss. (WCBI) – Middle school students in one city are learning about math, science, physics and teamwork.

It is part of the Bridge Builder’s Club and some of the future engineers are preparing for nationals, where they will test their skills against students from across the country.

The pressure is on inside this classroom at Guntown Middle School.

Science Teacher Connie Gusmus has four Bridge Building Teams.

They design a truss bridge, then make a balsa wood model, and see how it holds up during a stress test.

Gusmus says the class gives students real world applications that could be part of their future.

“It opens the door to different career pathways for them, and lets them explore engineering and lets them see if engineering and design is something they would like to go into,” Gusmus said.

Students also get a chance to test their design skills at a state competition.

One of the teams from Guntown is advancing to nationals later this month in Park City Utah. Team members say they are learning a lot about science, technology, engineering and math.

“It also shows you the basics of what real engineers do,building and designing it and it also shows us the basic vocabulary that they use, vectors, loads, joints,” said Saxton McHenry, a seventh grader at GMS.

Each team must submit a portfolio, explaining their bridge building process, and design specifications. They are also learning  teamwork.

“With three people, we’re all kind of hard headed, so we each think our way is best but when working as a team we have to decide what’s truly best,” said GMS Eighth Grader Will Crawford.

The young bridge builders will be busy until the national competition, testing, rebuilding and perfecting their design.

The National competition is sponsored by The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

It is set for the week of May 20th in Utah.