CLARKS SUMMIT — Letters of invitation were mailed to all secondary public, private and charter schools in the Northeast quadrant of Pennsylvania by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Bridge Building Committee. Schools are invited to select three students to participate in representing their school in a unique educational experience that charges no registration fee of the school or student participant. All expenses are covered by the sponsors.

The competition will be held Feb. 13 with a snow date of Feb. 20, at the Viewmont Mall in Dickson City. The deadline to register is Jan. 11.

The objective of the competition is to provide an educational learning experience for secondary students to apply their understanding of scientific and engineering principles to everyday experiences, in this case model bridge structures. The program in turn hopes to encourage youth to investigate career opportunities in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering.

The first and second place regional winners are eligible to compete in the International Bridge Building Competition to be in May 2016 Chicago, Illinois.

Plaques are awarded to the first, second, and third place winners and trophies to their respective school in the competition. Certificates of participation and commemorative T-shirts are given to each participant in the regional competition. Participants are also eligible for scholarships to local colleges and universities when they are available. Special First, Second and Third “Architectural EXCELLENCE” awards, in memory of Mr. Tomas Kovall, former Abington Heights physics teacher, who died after a short and courageous battle with cancer are also presented.

Students are encouraged to check with their teachers and/or administration to obtain the details.

Students, parents, teachers, school administrators, engineering firms, businesses and organizations can also visit the competition website at neparbdgblg.com or contact Donald Kieffer, regional co-director at dhkieffer@gmail.com, 570- 586-0197 or 570-561-3286 for specific information on how to get involved.

For Abington Journal

Information provided by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Bridge Building Committee.