By Molly Seales

On Thursday, March 12, Riverdale Academy’s Beta Club hosted an engineering competition for all students in grades 1^st– 8^th. 

Students were divided into groups and competed as a team to see who could build the best bridge.  Students had 45 minutes to complete the bridges.

There were five materials that had to be used in their project:  play doh, playing cards, dominos, paper plates, and spaghetti noodles.  There was an additional list of things that could be used, but they were not required.  Students were allowed to strategize in the days prior to the competition, but they were not allowed to bring any preassembled parts to use.

All of the groups worked very hard during the competition.  Winners of the competition are as follows:  Division I (1^st-4^th grade)   1^st place was the 3^rd grade team of Carter Breedlove, Eli Fortenberry, Connor Franks, and Ryder Shaver.  2^ndplace was the 4^th grade team of Hayden Cason, Jax Hearold, Jackson Hillman, Kaden McNeely, and JoJo Shaver.  3^rdplace was the 1^st grade team of Anna Kate Bailey, Maggie Nettles, and Caden Spradley. 

Division II (5^th -8^th grade) winners are as follows:  1^st place was the 8^th grade team of Georgia Carlisle, Emily Cason, Madison Chamberlin, and Matthew Smith.  2^nd place was the 8^th grade team of Jaxon Gates, Kyle Guillory, Cameron Hesson, Hayden Hillman, and Ryder Huddleston.  3^rd place was the 6^th grade team of Shea Nettles, Mason Wilhite, and Tyler Wilhite.

Congratulations to our winners and all competitors.  Beta club members would like to give a huge thanks to the judges-Dr. Hunter Brown, Dan Cason, Gene Dixon, and James Seales.  We look forward to next year’s competition!