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Senior's bridge splinters last in annual spectacle
Every year, Ransom Everglades students strive to build structurally sound, aesthetically pleasing bridges out of basswood sticks, and the strongest structures advance to the the annual bridge-busting competition at the Lewis Family Auditorium.
There, each student’s hard work is transformed into a heap of shattered sticks.
Mike Hannan ’19 earned victory in this year’s splintering spectacle, as his svelte 16.04 gram bridge withstood a force of 37.01 pounds before collapsing (1,119.8 efficiency). He topped Joseph Kodsi ’20, whose 23.83 gram bridge managed a weight of 53.81 pounds before reaching its breaking point (1073.5 efficiency), and Jennifer Lin ’20, who finished third (15.42, 33.81, 1070.7) – and also won second-place in the aesthetic competition.
Mike Hannan ’19 earned victory in this year’s splintering spectacle, as his svelte 16.04 gram bridge withstood a force of 37.01 pounds before collapsing (1,119.8 efficiency). He topped Joseph Kodsi ’20, whose 23.83 gram bridge managed a weight of 53.81 pounds before reaching its breaking point (1073.5 efficiency), and Jennifer Lin ’20, who finished third (15.42, 33.81, 1070.7) – and also won second-place in the aesthetic competition.
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Their bridges were the last standing in a highly anticipated interdisciplinary competition that attracted more than 100 entries. Students creatively applied what they learned in their math, engineering, science or architecture classes to design and build their structures and, after several rounds of testing, the 12 finalists shared the stage March 5 at the Lewis Family Auditorium.
As always, the finale featured thumping music – apropos tunes including “Stayin’ Alive,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” and “We Will Rock You.” It showcased physics teacher Paul Natland ’02, who charged around the stage, revving the audience as event emcee. It required the technical efforts of science faculty Bob DuBard, Doug Heller ’80 and Luis Felipe, and it whipped the Upper School student body, and Head of School Penny Townsend, into a cheering, hollering frenzy.
Alejandro Otero ’19, last year’s winner, finished fourth, and Trent Bianchi ’20 claimed fifth place. Six girls and six boys advanced to the final; the complete results are below. Logan Courey ’20 was the victor in the aesthetic competition, and Yuhan Liu ’21 finished third behind Lin.
| Name | Mass | Scale | Efficiency | |
| 1 | Mike Hannan | 16.04 | 37.0 | 1119.8 |
| 2 | Joseph Kodsi | 23.83 | 53.8 | 1073.5 |
| 3 | Jennifer Lin | 15.42 | 33.8 | 1070.7 |
| 4 | Alejandro Otero | 25.00 | 54.0 | 1026.9 |
| 5 | Trent Bianchi | 21.16 | 44.4 | 1007.5 |
| 6 | Sunna Martinsdottir | 22.87 | 42.0 | 884.6 |
| 7 | David Civantos | 24.13 | 44.2 | 879.7 |
| 8 | Emilia Decker | 24.83 | 44.8 | 865.9 |
| 9 | Margo Squire | 11.60 | 18.8 | 836.8 |
| 10 | Ben Thorpe | 22.66 | 39.2 | 836.7 |
| 11 | Sara Mesa | 19.11 | 30.8 | 792.8 |
| 12 | Nikki Jagid | 18.64 | 28.6 | 759.2 |
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.