Sweet career path: Marshmallow creations help Midway students explore engineering

Midway High School was among the 13 area schools Y-12 National Security Complex engineers visited to mark last week’s  National Engineers Week.

Katie Hogin

Midway High School students, from left, Danielle Moore, Rachel Scott and Amber Manning compete against the rest of Jared Phy’s agriculture class to construct the tallest structure out of marshmallows. Diane McDaniel and Ashley Watkins of Y-12 National Security Complex spoke to the class about engineering last week as a part of National FFA Week and National Engineers Week.

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Katie Hogin

All hands are needed on deck for one group of students’ construction project. Various sizes of marshmallows were used as construction materials to illustrate that the many complexities of the engineering can be both fun and rewarding.

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Katie Hogin

Y-12 engineer Diane McDaniel assists Midway students Sierra Romines, Shelby Laws, Jaime Kilby and Scott Henderson with their structure.

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The engineers discussed engineering fields and provided a fun but challenging engineering project to students.

The students in Jared Phy’s agriculture class also used the opportunity to observe National FFA Week.

The Engineers Week Coalition, which was founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers, comprises more than 75 engineering, professional, and technical societies and more than 50 corporations and government agencies.

The coalition is dedicated to sustaining and growing a dynamic engineering profession by ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce, increasing interest in engineering and technology careers, and promoting precollege literacy in math and science.

National Engineers Week is an opportunity to highlight the many contributions of engineers and to encourage young people to learn more about math and science.  

As part of staffing plans for the workforce of the future, Y-12 encourages middle and high school students to consider the opportunities of an engineering career.

Investing in these students today can better ensure the future Y-12 workforce will continue to maintain the best engineering and technical capabilities.

 B&W Y-12, a limited liability enterprise of The Babcock and Wilcox Co. and Bechtel National Inc., was selected to operate the Y-12 National Security Complex for the National Nuclear Security Administration in 2000.

Y-12 maintains and enhances the safety, security, effectiveness, and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile; reduces the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and provides expertise and training to respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Visit www.y12.doe.gov for more information.