Mr. Lollock, left, and Miss Cortez react after the final challenger to the Pterodactyl Bridge team's lead broke in dramatic fashion. This year's 5th-grade Toothpick Bridge Building competition was full of exciting moments. Photo by Peter Day
The annual Toothpick Bridge Building contest at Lucerne Valley Elementary School always puts an exclamation point at the end of the school year, but this year’s event, the 12th edition, was more suspenseful than usual with three of the 15 teams fighting to the dramatic end for victory.
Serving as a fun STEM activity for Lucerne Valley 5th graders, students are divided into teams overseen by the school’s 5th-grade teachers. A variety of assignments based on real life occupations are made to bring the bridges to fruition: The project director oversees the project, an architect is in charge of the blueprint, the transportation chief orders supplies, and an account keeps the project on track to not exceed its hypothetical construction budget of $1.5 million. (To start, teams “purchase” a bundle of toothpicks and bottle of wood glue for $550,000.) The head carpenter works with junior and senior construction workers, and bridge construction commences.
THE WINNING TEAM: Jerson, Fernando and Gretchen of the Pterodactyl Bridge team each received a $10 gift certificate from Lucerne Valley Market & Hardware Store. Photo by Peter Day
During the contest on Wednesday, May 28th, one day before the end of the school year, Mrs. Leah Paddack explained the rules of the competition. The bridge must be wide enough a miniature car to pass through, and each bridge must successfully hold the weight of a bucket containing a designated and gradually increased weight in it for 10 seconds. The bucket weighs 2-1/2 pounds, which serves as the starting weight.
This year teacher Mr. Brian Lollock handled each entry, increasingly adding weights, while Ms. Cortes kept track of the individual weight totals, and Mrs. Paddack maintained the score board.
The first entry by the team called Costo Construction unfortunately was disqualified due to design technicalities. Strong Bridge Company’s entry started strong but broke after holding 5-1/4 pounds. The Potatosaurusexes entry lived up to their big name by holding 23-1/2 pounds, but the Lumber Building Company bridge edged them out with 24 pounds. The Building Crew entry held 10-3/4 pounds while the Blue Rasperries’ bridge failed to hold any weight.
Gretchen of the Pterodactyl Bridge team nervously watches the competition. Her team would go on to win the competition. Photo by Peter Day
Next, the contest started getting interesting. The Fast Bridge Builders constructed a bridge that held twice as much as any so far when it zoomed to first place with 47-1/2 pounds, but that was outdone by the Pterodactyl Bridge team whose entry held a whopping 62-1/2 pounds.
A team named Builders followed that up with a bridge holding 27-1/2 pounds, but the Pinapple Builders looked like they might take over the lead. Their entry broke after holding 58 pounds. Bob the Builder Company entry made it to 27-1/2 pounds following the Building Club.com’s stellar 47-1/2 pounds. The bridge by Bob the Builders #2 team held 17-1/2 pounds, and then it was down to the final entry. The Ice Builders’ bridge kept on holding more and more weight. After holding 57-1/2 pounds, Goulding Hall became silent as the bridge was on track to tie the total by Pterodactyl Bridge team, after a few seconds there was a loud cracking sound. The Ice Builders’ bridge had collapsed.
The winning team of students Fernando, Gretchen and Jerson and are in Mr. Brian Lollock’s class.
Mrs. Paddack points to the winning team's impressive 62-1/2 pound performance.
The broken bridges didn't end up at the Smithsonian; they all suffered the same fate -- in the waste basket.