16-006 Corps volunteers celebrate E-Week with Walla Walla-area students

Published Feb. 19, 2016

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Volunteers with the Walla Walla District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will help four Walla Walla-area schools celebrate National Engineers Week Feb. 22-26 by sponsoring engineering design contests.

Walla Walla District’s Engineering and Construction 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 schools test bridges or other structures students build with a variety of materials.

This year, the contest is paper tower construction. Walla Walla District engineers will travel to Walla Walla-area schools during E-Week, and will be at DeSales High School Feb. 23, 2016.

“The Corps of Engineers has an opportunity to provide a challenge to students similar to what we do on a daily basis,” E-Week coordinator Capt. Kyle Shea said. “Each team will begin the competition with a limited amount of materials and a strict timeline in which to build a tower that maximizes height and strength. Students must develop construction plans and execute as a team to succeed. We look forward to seeing local students demonstrate the ingenuity and teamwork that tomorrow’s engineers will require.”

Students are only allowed to use 25 sheets of paper to construct their towers within 20 minutes. A cumulative score based on tower height and ability to bear weight will be used to determine contest winners.

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.discovere.org.

For more information about the Walla Walla District, visit our website at www.nww.usace.army.mil.

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NOTE TO MEDIA: Media should contact Ms. Nancy Rose at 509-525-3030 or nrose@wallawallacatholicschools.com to arrange for reporter access to cover these events.

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Contact
CENWW-PA
509-527-7020

Release no. 16-006