They were given a box of pasta and plenty of time for construction, and on Monday they provided the drama when Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School sophomores and freshmen participated in the 13th annual math department Prince linguini bridge contest.
A total of 62 bridges were entered, many by one or two students, to be judged on their construction’s ability to hold weight.
Each bridge was made from the pasta contained in a one-pound box of Prince linguini. The pieces were glued together using the classroom standard: Elmer’s glue. Construction began in early February.
Some students took days to assemble their bridges, many spent more than a dozen hours, according to math teacher Ken DeBettencourt. “Some kids took weeks,” he added.
Along the way, the teacher hoped they learned a little bit about structural engineering.
Jack Roberts and Andrew Hakala, both freshmen, won the contest. Their bridge held 1,335 pounds before it was crushed under a tall stack of weights.
The contest was held in the Performing Arts Center. More than 100 students gathered to cheer their favorites and applaud the winners amid loud music. Mr. DeBettencourt was master of ceremonies, and he ran the contest as though a lot more than winning and learning was at stake. “The main thing is that the kids are having fun,” the teacher said.
Though Jack and Andrew assembled the strongest of bridges this year, its strength fell short of the school record, set in 2007 when a bridge held 2,115 pounds.
— Mark Alan Lovewell
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