WVDOH sponsors free STEAM bridge design contest for middle and high school students: Enter by Feb. 27

News Release
February 10, 2022

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The 2022 West Virginia Bridge Design & Build Contest is now underway! All West Virginia students in grades 6 through 12 are encouraged to submit bridge designs for a chance to win cash prizes, including a Grand Prize of $500.

Participation in the contest is entirely free and open to students in public school, private school, or who are home-schooled. Everything a student needs to compete, including a free download of bridge design software and a tutorial by Secretary of Transportation Jimmy Wriston, P.E., is available at the Bridge Design & Build Contest website, https://wvbridgedesignandbuildcontest.com.

To register, download software and access the tutorial, click here.

Students have until Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022 to register and submit their bridge designs.

The contest, sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Highways, BridgeWalk, and West Virginia Department of Education, pits middle school and high school students against one another to see who can design the best bridge using standardized design software. The goal is the build a safe, well-engineered bridge for the least cost, just like engineers at the DOH do every day.

“Anyone who is interested in science, engineering or anything like that should take the opportunity to learn about bridge design and engineering,” said Garrett Ferguson, a Frankfort High School Student who is a past winner of the contest. “There are a lot of things you wouldn’t get to learn in normal school.”

In its 21st year, the contest is designed to encourage STEAM education and inspire tomorrow’s engineers today. The WVDOH co-sponsors the annual contest to support education, and hopes that participation will inspire middle school and high school students to pursue a career in engineering.

Every student who makes it to the finals receives $100. First place high school and middle school winners take home $500, second place winners receive $400, and third place winners get $300. Every student who participates in the contest gets a free BridgeWalk tour for themselves and their families.