The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

STUDENTS took up a challenge to build bridges in a contest last week - with a tough battle to determine the winning entries.

The IBS Build-A-Bridge Challenge was held on Thursday at Holy Trinity Activities Centre, providing 26 local and international schools the chance to demonstrate their science and engineering skills.

The competition was held for the first time since 2019 and included five Family Island high schools and an international school from California - Castle Mount High School.

The Anatol Rodgers High School team of Jaydica Cooper, Recalicia Rahming, Jabori Brown and Ashenii Adu took home the top prize in the bridge load category, followed by Queen’s College and St John’s College, the 2019 winners, in third place.

In the aesthetics category, there was a tie for first place between Mary Star of The Sea Catholic School in Grand Bahama (team members Nathalie Samson, Tai Laing and Rachel Sebastian) and NGM Major High School in Long Island (members Denetra Bascombe, Jarrad McPhee, Anastacia Clarke, Courtney Knowles and Naarziae Adderley). Heuristics Academy, a new entrant to the competition came in third place.

IBS is hopeful that the challenge will help high school students to develop an interest in engineering and the applied sciences and teach the discipline and determination needed to face life’s challenges.

Over the past 12 years, approximately 1,000 high school students have gone through the program and many have gone on to study engineering or an applied science. IBS offers its summer internship program to one member of the winning team and is hopeful that participants will one day be the foundation of the Bahamian engineering, architectural and science fields.

• Final scores:

Bridge load: Anatol Rodgers bridge weight .436lb, failing load 254.5lb; Queen’s College .5245lb, 231lb; St John’s College .4705lb, 198.2lb.

Aesthetics: Mary Star of the Sea 25pts; NGM Major 25pts; Heuristics Academy 24.67pts.