As part of the District's Speakers Bureau, Neal Newman, Project Manager explains basic engineering principles to 18 students from North Pontotoc Middle School.

     PONTOTOC, Miss. – Neal Newman, a District civil engineer, spoke to 18 students from North Pontotoc Middle School on the basic principles of engineering and bridge building, Oct. 24.

     A major goal of events like this is to help the public understand what engineers do and the value the Corps brings to America.   

     Pontotoc Middle School teacher Jannie Hamilton requested support from the Corps to help her students understand careers connected with bridge building and the science and engineering it involves.  The students will build a bridge as an upcoming project.

     “I wanted the students to be able to understand compression and tension as it applied to bridge building so that they could transfer that to their designs.  Mr. Newman covered compression and tension very well,” said Hamilton.

     Newman began his morning presentation by giving an overview of the District’s mission,  then drew a sketch of a truck trying to cross the Mississippi River.  Next, he polled the students for solutions as to how a truck could get across. 

     Hands shot up with ideas like building a bridge, lifting by air, digging a tunnel and ferrying the boat across.  All were great ideas and gave Newman a sense of the children’s creativity.

     “The students came up with some very creative solutions to the problem.  They learn about forces and the types of materials which are better suited for those forces while exploring the type of bridges they should build,” Newman said.

     This exercise was intended to get the students thinking and developing different solutions to this problem. He continued by drawing a bridge and showing pictures of various types of bridges.

Newman brought his 'build a bridge' kit with him providing an interactive way for the students to participate in his presentation.

     “I personally believe that K - 9th graders are the best age. They are truly open to ideas about what they want to be when they grow up.  From my presentation, they learn at an early age that school is very important and you need to study hard to learn science as well as mathematics,” said Newman.

     The actual “building” portion of the class allows students to experience personal involvement when they apply real tension forces as they crawl through the bridge they just constructed. 

     The students also receive a concrete vision of compression and tension forces.  Newman illustrates the difference between the two by first asking the students whether whether or not they believe their bridge will hold when something travels across it. 

     To demonstrate this, students and their teachers were allowed to crawl across it.  Everyone made it safely to the other side.

     The presentation lasted approximately an hour including the bridge building demonstration and answering questions from the students.

     “We need good engineers in our country. If I can encourage one or two to become an engineer at an early stage in their life, then I believe I’m investing in the future of our country,” said Newman.

     Newman enjoys volunteering his time to develop the future leaders of our Nation through his “Introduction to Engineering” class, with the Boy Scouts and his church. 

     The Memphis District’s Speaker’s Bureau is a community outreach tool used to educate and strengthen relationships with the public.  The program is managed by the District Public Affairs Office.

     “The purpose of this program is to get the word out about the great things the District is doing.  By going to schools, college fairs, and clubs to speak, we’re able to tell our story to the local communities we support,” said Col. Tom Smith, District Commander.

    For more information on speaking opportunities, call (901) 544-3360.