By David Fleet
Editor
The Brandon Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) freshmen team, “The Suspension is Killing Me” of Haley Solo, Sarah Pesta, and Kyra Burger finished third on May 23-24 at the 15th Annual Transportation and Civil Engineering Bridge Challenge in Portland, Maine. The event was coordinated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Eighteen teams competed this year, selected from more than 250 applicants from across the country. The competition’s goal is to develop a bridge that will carry as much weight as possible while weighing as little as possible. Students compete in separate age categories: grades 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12.
“The bridge models in the national competition were excellent,” said Burger, 14. “We learned a lot about group dynamics and our presentation to the judges went very well—earning extra points. Next year we could spend more time with bridge desgin research.”

The Brandon team qualified for the national event at the state competition in Grand Rapids on April 18.
The three-member teams design and build balsa wood cantilever truss bridges. This project tests their ability to work as a team, their attention to detail, their time management skills, and their problem solving skills. To qualify for the competition, teams are required to prepare a written bridge proposal and a bridge design, using Michigan Department Of Transportation drafting software. The freshmen have been working on the project since last October.
The bridges at the national event are then tested for strength and design. Teams also make detailed presentations about their bridges before a panel of six judges.
The results of the competition for the ninth-10th grade division were all from Michigan: First place: Kat Homeschool, Portage; Second place: Northville High School, Northville and Third place: Brandon High School, Ortonville.
Burger said the Brandon instructors prepared the team well for the national competition.
“It’s our first time in the nationals,” she said. “It was a great experience for the team.”
At the conclusion of the bridge breaking session, all teams moved to the grand conference room to join Highway DOT professionals from almost every state and employees of top engineering firms, for the announcing of winning teams. The teams award included a medal and a $200 gift card for each member.
The team was coached by Pauline Bandlow, Lesley Hildebrand and Jamey Logan from Brandon High School.