Fatima High School physics students  were awarded the third place trophy during the second day of events while competing with approximately 1,000 students representing over 50 high schools and technical schools in Rhode Island during the 11th Annual Construction Career Days held at The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT’S) Midstate Maintenance Facility in East Greenwich, RI.

The University of Rhode Island Transportation Center (URITC), The Rhode Island Consulting Engineers (RICE), RIDOT, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored a bridge building contest during the RI Construction Career Days.  The object of the competition showed the students the wide range of disciplines and professions, in addition to heavy equipment, needed for a construction project.  Students’ creativity and design were a key component of the competition.  Students were given a set of specifications and 15 pieces of balsa wood to construct a bridge which was to be held together with any glue the students chose.  The bridge had to be a ‘through truss bridge’ similar in construction to the Braga Bridge and able to hold a minimum of five pounds of weight.  The Fatima students conducted research using Westpoint Bridge Design softwear and each student designed a bridge on graph paper.  The team then chose a feature from each student’s bridge design to construct their competition bridge.  The cost factor was also an element of the competition.  Each of the 15 pieces of balsa equaled $10,000.  The Fatima Team used all 15 pieces bringing the cost of their bridge to $150,000.  The cost of the bridge and the weight bearing of the bridge were among the criteria used to judge the efficiency of the bridge. 

Each team brought their bridge to the Construction event. Fatima High physics students Kendra Hicks (Warren, RI)  John Delamer (Portsmouth, RI) Hailey Bober (Barrington, RI) Leslie Pavao (Warren, RI) and William Waddicor (Swansea, MA) and their  instructor Ms. Mary Morra  were delighted to bring the Third Place Trophy home to Fatima after waiting anxiously throughout  the judging. 

A number of hands-on activities allowed the students to operate construction equipment including backhoes, excavators, pavers and bucket trucks as well attempting  welding, plumbing, electrical work during demonstrations  presented by The New England Laborers Tri Funds, Beacon Mutural Insurance Company, Rhode Island Public Works Association, Construction Industries of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Builders Association, the Rhode Island Technology Transfer Center and the North East Technicians Training Certification Program.

Hailey Bober said “ We got to be involved in a lot of different activities.  My favorite part was driving the backhoe.”  Leslie Pavao said “ It was very hands on and an overall great day.  We got to be involved in many different activities such as welding, driving backhoes, and driving a street sweeper. “  William Waddicor felt  he “….learned many new things.”  John Delamer echoed the thoughts of all of the students “It was so much fun and I really hope we do it again next year.”