Weighty lessons in bridge building

Students anxiously watched and others turned their backs Thursday as 16 wooden model bridges collapsed under weights ranging from 37.5 to 113 pounds.

Participants in the Youth in Technology summer camp at Texas A&amp;M University-Corpus Christi learned about force before designing their bridges on a computer-aided drafting program and later building them with balsa wood and glue.

"They learned the engineering aspect and importance of doing a job right the first time," said David Sheets, an undergraduate engineering technology student who worked with the campers. "They also learned the skill of building something."

Throughout five weeks, participants in the program were exposed to a variety of technology careers in Corpus Christi that are in high demand, including computer science, engineering and the health-care industry.

-- Rachel Denny Clow

Weighty lessons

in bridge building