On Friday, February 17, excitement filled the gym at Bayview Elementary. Students gathered to cheer on their peers at the Junior Skills Regional competition, seeing who built the most well-designed spaghetti bridges and the fastest gravity powered vehicles.

The crowd held its breath as spaghetti bridges, constructed using only pasta and hot glue, were tested under the pressure of a one-kilogram weight. Cheers and applause erupted as each bridge successfully held firm.

Renee has been a volunteer with the Junior Skills Regionals for the past 15 years. In that time, he shares that this year’s competition may have been the most impressive.

“This is the first time I have witnessed a regional competition where every bridge survived,” he said. 

The challenge is no small feat. Students aim to build the lightest spaghetti bridge possible while ensuring it can withstand the required weight.

Next up was the equally as exciting gravity car competition! Powered only by gravity, student-made vehicles raced down a 24-foot ramp as they battled to see who’s finished first.

Doug Park, principal at Bayview Elementary, played a key role in organizing and hosting the event. VSB staff from Hudson, Gordon, False Creek and Bayview, along with community volunteers, worked tirelessly to bring the competition to life.

“This level of excitement and enthusiasm felt like the playoffs of science, math and ADST,” said Park. “Seeing 300 students cheering for a spaghetti bridge one kilogram test and a gravity car race was incredible.”

Building on this momentum, Park hopes to expand the event in the coming years.

“We look forward to welcoming more schools next year and providing even more students with opportunities to expand their skills and knowledge,” he adds. 

Medalists from both the gravity car and spaghetti bridge competitions will advance to the Provincial Championships in Abbotsford this April. There they will compete against students from across the province

The next Junior Skills Regional event, the Wind Turbine competition, will take place at Templeton Secondary School on March 12, 2026.