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CU • News & Events

Area Students Build Toothpick Bridges at Clarkson University

Release Date
Thursday December 2, 2021
Toothpicks

Clarkson University recently sponsored a toothpick bridge competition for students in its afterschool STEM programs. Creak, snap, and crunch were the sounds that could be heard as the toothpick bridges were tested to determine which bridge could hold the greatest load. The winning bridge, designed and built by Ty Monette from Norwood-Norfolk Central School, held 11 lbs. Second place went to the team of Olivia Richards and Nikki Thompson from St. Lawrence Central School. Their bridge held 10 lbs., 11oz.

Forty students designed and built 25 bridges using a maximum of 100 toothpicks and wood glue. They learned civil engineering concepts such as tension, stress and load. Students represented four school districts: Heuvelton, Lisbon, Norwood-Norfolk and St. Lawrence Central. The strongest bridges from each school were designed by:  Mairin King and Zoe Whalen (Heuvelton), Bryce Parmeter and Quinton Zanker (Lisbon), Eric Lalonde (Norwood-Norfolk) and Jordan Barlow and Adrianna Richards (St. Lawrence Central).

Funding for the afterschool program is provided by a NYSED Extended Day/Violence Prevention Grant awarded to St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES and the federal CARES initiative. Clarkson University’s Institute for STEM Education provides STEM activities through a partnership with the public schools. For more information, contact Dr. Mary Margaret Small mmsmall@clarkson.edu.

As a private, national research university, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation. We ignite personal connections across academic fields and industries to create the entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge and intellectual curiosity needed to innovate world-relevant solutions and cultivate the leaders of tomorrow. With its main campus located in Potsdam, N.Y., and additional graduate program and research facilities in the New York Capital Region, Beacon, N.Y., and New York City, Clarkson educates 4,600+ students across 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, the arts, education, sciences and health professions. Our alumni earn salaries that are among the top 2.5% in the nation and realize accelerated career growth. One in five already leads as a CEO, senior executive or owner of a company. To learn more about Clarkson University, go to www.clarkson.edu.


Photograph for media use is available at:
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Photograph Size:
Width: 1252px
Height: 838px

News directors and editors: For more information, contact Melissa Lindell, Director of Media Relations, at 315-268-6716 or mlindell@clarkson.edu.

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