West Virginia middle and high school students have until Friday, February 28, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST to enter the 2025 West Virginia Bridge Design & Build Contest. Hosted by the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) for more than 25 years, this hands-on STEM activity is entirely free for students statewide.
Contest Overview and Objective
The West Virginia Bridge Design & Build Contest (WVBDB) is a statewide outreach initiative designed for middle and high school students considering career tracks in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) occupations. Working independently or in teams of two, students utilize specialized bridge design software updated annually by the WVDOT to engineer the lowest-cost bridge possible. Participants who advance to the final round will also design and construct a physical balsa wood bridge.
“It has been wonderful to watch students try their hand at engineering bridges and stay with the contest throughout their middle and high school years,” said Jennifer Dooley of the WVDOT’s Public Relations Division. “We have witnessed students tell us they went to college because of the contest, and that’s very rewarding.”
Key Dates and Competition Timeline
The competition transitions from an online qualifying phase to an interactive, in-person final event for the state's top-performing designers.
| Event / Milestone | Date / Details |
|---|---|
| Qualifying Round Deadline | Friday, February 28, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST |
| Finalist Notification | Week of Monday, March 3, 2025 (notified via email with official details) |
| Championship Finals | Approximately the top 25 individuals/teams (including at least 5 middle school entries) will advance to the finals held at the West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) Campus in Beckley. |
Eligibility and Registration Guidelines
Interested students must adhere to the following guidelines to officially lock in their entries:
- Student Eligibility: Open to all students in grades 6–12 attending a West Virginia public, private, or home school.
- Team Formats: Participants may compete individually or in teams of two. For two-person teams, the designated team captain must be the only person to complete the registration form.
- Required Details: Every submission must include valid, up-to-date contact information for the student(s), their parents, and their supervising teacher.
- How to Enter: To secure eligibility and receive subsequent event updates, participants must sign up through the official West Virginia Bridge Design & Build Contest Registration Portal. All custom software bridge design files must be successfully uploaded directly to this portal to constitute an official entry.
For comprehensive rules, software downloads, and rolling event updates, please visit the main West Virginia Bridge Design & Build Contest Website.
