Invitation to all Public, Private & Charter Secondary School Students to Participate in the
2016 Northeast Pennsylvania Regional Bridge Building Competition

  There is an increased need for more students to consider a career in science, mathematics, engineering and technology to help alleviate the problem of the repair and/or replacement of deficient bridge structures. Each must be individually designed due to environmental and geographic conditions where each is situated.      
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Regional Bridge Building Committee was established to encourage secondary students to explore and consider careers in science, mathematics, engineering and technology to address this situation. The 2016 (28th annual) competition will be held Saturday February 13, 2016 (Snow date February 20, 2016) in the Viewmont Mall (Exit 191A off Interstate 81) in Dickson City. You are invited to encourage students from {Area Public/Private High School} to build bridges to enter in this year’s competition. {Area Public/Private High School} is permitted to enter a maximum of three bridges (each bridge is to be designed and built by an INDIVIDUAL STUDENT) to represent {Area Public/Private High School}. Those students representing {Area Public/Private High School} may be selected either by conducting your own in-house local competition (suggestions enclosed) or by any manner you decide upon.  Wood kits (consisting of 25, 24 inch long 3/32 inch square basswood; a sufficient quantity for one bridge under current rules) to be used in the construction of the bridges for the regional competition will be supplied by the regional directors for each of your three (3) registered competitors. Arrangements may be made to obtain these kits from Donald Kieffer.
  The competition will start with registration and checking participant’s bridges starting at 8:45 AM on the day of the competition. The actual competition will commence after the last bridge has been registered.  All bridges entered in the regional competition must meet the construction criteria as specified by the International Bridge Building Committee (2016 rules are enclosed) and will be checked for strict adherence by a panel of independent judges prior to the start of testing.  Trophies/plaques will be awarded to the top three bridges, based upon efficiency.
  The first and second place winners (as determined by the efficiency of the bridge as defined by the rules) from our competition, will be eligible to rebuild their bridge for entrance into the International Bridge Building Competition to be held on a Saturday in May (date to be announced later) in Chicago, IL.
  The competition has proven to be an interesting and exciting event, and we hope that this event will continue to encourage students to take a serious look at engineering/science/mathematics as a career. 
  For rule clarification and interpretation please contact:  Donald H. Kieffer, 134 Beverly Dr, Clarks Summit, PA  18411; Voice (570) 570-561-3286; EMAIL: [email protected].  I am willing to communicate with you and/or your students to explain how the competition operates as well as explain the defined criteria,
  Please notify me Donald H. Kieffer by January 11, 2016 (using the enclosed registration form) relative to your intent to participate in this year’s competition (including the name, age, grade, shirt size of the participants) so that we may be prepared for the participants on the day of the competition.
 
Sincerely,
 
Donald H. Kieffer & L. Paul J. Schneider, CO-Directors