OCNews

Spaghetti is back on the menu at Okanagan College this spring.

A fixture on the spring calendar in the Okanagan for nearly four decades, the College's popular Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest will return this March for the first time since 2020.

OC will host the 38th annual contest on Friday, March 3 at the Kelowna campus. Organizers are putting the call out to teachers and students from elementary through post-secondary to participate.

Students can enter the following competitions:

• Elementary School Students: Elementary School Demonstration (non-competition)
• Middle and Secondary School Students: Secondary Competition; Team Building Competition; Heavyweight Competition
• Post-Secondary Students: Team Building Competition; Heavyweight Competition

According to Rick Federley, Interim Dean of Science and Technology at Okanagan College, the event is a chance for youth to immerse themselves in STEM - science, technology, engineering and math - in a way that's both tangible and exciting.

"We can't wait to welcome competitors of all ages back for the Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest this year," said Federley. "Beyond being a ton of fun, it's a superb hands-on learning opportunity for students. Bridge building integrates so many STEM principles, and the contest can be a jumping off point to future learning and future studies in these fields."

"Who knows? A day at Spaghetti Bridge for a student in Grade 4 might spark an interest that sees them go on to become an engineer, a physicist, a mathematician, an astronaut - the sky is the limit. We hope the students come away from their day at OC inspired."

The Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest was first held in 1980, but then not again until 1984 when it became an annual event and the Heavyweight contest was introduced. Over the years students from all over the Okanagan, across BC and Canada and even internationally have taken part.

Participants will receive an official competition t-shirt and cash prizes will be awarded in the secondary, team building and heavy-weight competitions.

For more information and to register, visit https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/spaghetti-bridge. Registration closes on Feb. 17.

Thank you to our event sponsors: Factions Projects Inc., Bird Construction Company, PCL Constructors Westcoast, CTQ Consultants Ltd., OCSU, Multi Power Products, and Interior Testing Services.