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Junior wins annual bridge competition
Amid cheers, thumping music, dimmed lights and animated play-by-play from physics teacher Paul Natland '02 at the Lewis Family Auditorium, Tomas Griffin '25 won RE's annual bridge competition with structure that held 1,425 times its weight before finally splintering. More than 180 upper school students in RE's physics, engineering, architecture and other classes entered the 2024 competition, and the 15 finalists competed in the raucous finale March 18.
Griffin topped second-place finisher Victor Labaut '24, whose bridge withstood a force 1,318 times its weight before breaking, and third-place finisher Ryan Weisburd '24, whose bridge shattered at a force 1,151 times its weight. In the aesthetics competition, Victoria Paraoulaki de Miranda ’24 finished first; Alexander Jones '24 finished second; and Dominique Cederberg '26 finished third.
The winners received bridge trophies made with a 3D printer by engineering teacher Bob DuBard.
As each of the finalist bridges was subjected to a gradually increasing load, its climb through the rankings was depicted on a giant screen, enabling students to cheer along until each bridge broke. Griffin's bridge, one of the first tested, climbed to the top of the scoreboard and never surrendered first place. Physics teacher Luis Luis Fayat assisted Natland on stage, and DuBard kept the scoring records.
Every qualifying bridge withstood a force of 900 times its weight merely to qualify for the final round. See the finalists' results below:
The winners received bridge trophies made with a 3D printer by engineering teacher Bob DuBard.
As each of the finalist bridges was subjected to a gradually increasing load, its climb through the rankings was depicted on a giant screen, enabling students to cheer along until each bridge broke. Griffin's bridge, one of the first tested, climbed to the top of the scoreboard and never surrendered first place. Physics teacher Luis Luis Fayat assisted Natland on stage, and DuBard kept the scoring records.
Every qualifying bridge withstood a force of 900 times its weight merely to qualify for the final round. See the finalists' results below:
| Student | Efficiency |
| Tomas Griffin '25 | 1424.7 |
| Victor Labaut '24 | 1318 |
| Ryan Weisburd '24 | 1151.3 |
| Michael Day '25 | 1086.6 |
| Jaral Arroyo-Jefferson '25 | 1060.1 |
| Manolo Campos '25 | 1058 |
| Ivan Rosenfeld '25 | 1048.2 |
| Andrew Gedde '25 | 1044.9 |
| Colton Seidel '25 | 1027.8 |
| Olivia Janette '24 | 967.5 |
| Sophia Biss '26 | 949.8 |
| Lindsay Ng '25 | 937.7 |
| Lucas Lippey '25 | 851.2 |
| Armin Stamate '26 | 804.5 |
| Ian Villaraos '26 | 753.3 |
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.