Walla Walla District engineers to hold tower building contests
WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The Walla Walla District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will help seven Walla Walla-area schools celebrate National Engineers Week Feb. 17-23 by sponsoring in engineering design contests.
Walla Walla District’s Engineering Division traditionally sponsors an “E-Week” structural or mechanical design familiarization event among participating Walla Walla-area middle schools and high schools. Corps employees help students test structures they built, including trebuchets, catapults and bridges with a variety of materials.
This year the contest is “tallest tower construction.” Walla Walla District engineers will travel to Walla Walla-area schools during E-Week as follows:
Feb. 19: Garrison Middle School, 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Feb. 19: Walla Walla High School, 8:30 a.m.
Feb. 20: John Sager Middle School, all day.
Feb. 20: Rogers Adventist School, 9 a.m.
Feb. 21: DeSales High School, 8 a.m.
Feb. 21: Walla Walla Valley Academy, 10 a.m.
Feb. 21: Central Middle School, all day.
“This year's contest is an object lesson in what we do every day at the Corps of Engineers,” E-Week coordinator Jeffrey Lyon said. “We have time to plan and design projects, then with limited time and materials we must construct the facilities to meet the needs of our customers and society. All this work is done in teams and one person cannot succeed by themselves. We are certain the winning team this year will be the team that has the best plan and the best teamwork! We are looking forward to seeing the students experience the team dynamics of the engineering world.”
Students will be given 200 toothpicks and 100 mini-marshmallows, and will have 20 minutes to construct their tower. Each tower must be freestanding for two minutes before its height will be measured.
National Engineers Week was founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers. It's always celebrated at the time of George Washington's birthday. Our nation's first president was a military engineer and a land surveyor. Every year, the Nation’s engineers take a week to highlight the practice and accomplishments of engineers to show what can be done with a little science and imagination. For more information about National Engineers Week, go online to www.eweek.org.
For more information about the Walla Walla District, visit our website at www.nww.usace.army.mil.
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