A hands-on engineering design contest for kids of all ages throughout the U.S. and the world. Build a virtual bridge. Learn about Engineering. Win national recognition.
URL: http://bridgecontest.usma.edu

About the WPBDC

The West Point Bridge Design Contest is conducted annually by the USA's first Engineering school, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. The purpose of the contest is to provide students a realistic, engaging introduction to engineering. The Military Academy provides this contest as a service to education--and as a tribute to the Academy's two-hundred years of service to the United States of America. The contest provides each participant with an opportunity to:
 * Learn about engineering through a realistic, hands-on problem-solving experience.
 * Learn about the engineering design process--the application of math, science, and technology to create devices and systems that meet human needs.
 * Learn about truss bridges and how they work.
 * Learn how engineers use the computer as a problem-solving tool.

We also hope that our bridge designers will have some fun pitting their problem-solving skills against those of others around the globe. Contest offerings include comprehensive teacher support materials for engineering activities that may be used in conjunction with the contest or separately to provide exciting classroom experiences with model structures.

References:

1. ENGINEERING A NATIONWIDE ENGINEERING DESIGN CONTEST
2. Using Information Technology to Facilitate Accessible Engineering Outreach on a National Scale