How popsicle sticks became a bridge to life in engineering

Students gathered over the weekend to make bridges out of popsicle sticks. One of which was able to hold 646 pounds.

Glued together popsicle sticks, put together over hours of methodical assembly, were tested Saturday at the annual Engineering Your Life event.

A key part of the event, the Popsicle Stick Bridge Building Competition, drew 90 students, eager to build the strongest structure.

For Adhvay Rao, a Grade 7 student, the challenge allowed him to see how creative he could be.

“Just to see what I can do with my building skills and see how good my bridge is compared to the forces,” Rao said.

Introduced more than a decade ago, the event aims to better introduce engineering to students.

Popsicle sticks have become a common tool to test out the ingenuity of students. Rao’s bridge featured double-sticked joints and cross-checked triangles.

“Sometimes they bend a little bit, and it was a little bit difficult, but most of the time it was okay,” said Rao.

Students in various age groups compete to see whose bridge can hold the most weight. On Saturday, Asif Khan of the Windsor-Essex Chapter of Professional Engineers Ontario, said one bridge held a record 646 pounds.

“You’re able to be creative and apply the engineering design, and then you were able to build a strong bridge,” he explained.

While students tested their skills as civil engineers, overall, Khan hoped they would open their minds to all engineering specialties.

“It’s really getting them thinking about engineering, you know, what does it take to build a bridge? How many types of bridges are out there? What are the strengths and weaknesses of different bridges?” he explained.

Over the years, Khan said, students have returned as engineers to discuss how the event inspired them into their careers.

“So, the event is about inspiring kids, bringing awareness, and really igniting a spark in the young minds about problem solving, questioning, and understanding what engineers do and how engineering is so important,” Khan added.