Press Release
Summit County Engineer Celebrates 25th Annual Miniature Bridge Building Competition with Record Participation
Mar 6, 2026 - Summit County, OH
Summit County Engineer Alan Brubaker, P.E., P.S. is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Miniature Bridge Building Competition (MBBC), held March 4, 2026, at the Summit County Fairgrounds in Tallmadge. This year’s event marked the 25th anniversary of the competition, a milestone celebrating a quarter century of inspiring local high school students to explore engineering through hands-on design and construction.
The 2026 competition saw record participation, with 37 teams from 18 schools, a significant increase from last year’s 28 teams. Students from Summit County schools also included programs from Four Cities Educational Compact, Akron STEM High School, Bio-Med Science Academy, Akron Early College High School, and Six District Compact to compete. Each team, made up of two or three students, spent months designing and constructing miniature bridges that were tested for strength, efficiency, and structural performance during the competition.
“The Miniature Bridge Building Competition has become one of our most impactful educational outreach programs over the past 25 years,” said Summit County Engineer Alan Brubaker, P.E., P.S. “Seeing record participation this year shows how excited students are to explore engineering and problem-solving in a real-world way. The dedication and skills these teams bring to the competition is truly impressive.”
After a full day of testing and evaluation, Copley High School delivered a remarkable clean sweep, capturing all three top placements in the competition.
2026 Competition Winners
- 1st Place: Copley Team 2
- Members: Nathaniel Ames, Noah Holmberg, Jonah Rothschild
- 2nd Place: Copley Team 1
- Members: Jack Foster, Roman Kuppusamy, Gavin Dies
- 3rd Place: Copley Team 3
- Members: Aria Ahmadi, Grant Hyne, Ben Yacknow
The winning teams will take home competition cash prizes along with the first-place team taking home the traveling championship trophy, which will be proudly displayed at Copley High School until next year’s competition.
In addition to the overall winners, several special awards recognize excellence in engineering design and creativity.
Special Awards
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Award
- Winner: Four Cities Educational Compact – Team 3
- Members: Sofija Perovic`, Grace Varner, Elias Dyson
Manual Drawing Award
- Winner: Copley – Team 2
- Members: Nathaniel Ames, Noah Holmberg, Jonah Rothschild
Aesthetics Award
- Winner: Four Cities Educational Compact – Team 1
- Members: Vincent Gambaccini, Ty Racin, Levi Hartzler
For many participants, the Miniature Bridge Building Competition provides a unique opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a practical environment. Students work alongside educators and interact with professional engineers and industry experts who volunteer as judges and mentors during the event.
“While this competition focuses on engineering, the skills students use here apply to so many different career paths,” said Aaron Engelhart-Shepherd, event emcee and Office Manager at the Summit County Engineer office. “I spoke with a student who plans to study political science, which was a great reminder that projects like bridges don’t just involve engineers. They involve government, communication, planning, and policy too. I’m not an engineer, but I work with engineering projects every day. Hopefully students see that no matter their career goals, there’s a place for them in work like this.”
Supporting Future Engineers
The MBBC is made possible entirely through the generous support of local engineering firms, construction companies, public agencies, and community partners who sponsor the competition each year. Sponsorships help fund the event, provide awards and scholarships for students, and ensure the program continues to grow.
“Programs like this only succeed because of the incredible support from our engineering and construction community,” Brubaker said. “Our sponsors are investing not only in this event but in the future workforce that will design and maintain the infrastructure our communities rely on.”
Organizations interested in sponsoring the 2027 Miniature Bridge Building Competition or supporting future STEM initiatives are encouraged to contact Tina Merlitti at (330) 643-8168 or tmerlitti@summitengineer.net
More information about the Miniature Bridge Building Competition click the link below.
