U of M “Canstruction” Event March 28: Will Build Engineering Skills and Fight Hunger
For release: March 14, 2008
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey, 901-678-2843

Eleven teams of local high school students will build amazing structures from food cans as part of the Canstruction competition on Friday, March 28, at the University of Memphis. The competitors, from 10 schools in Memphis and Shelby County, will assemble their structures between 9 a.m. and noon in the main lobby of the Herff College of Engineering (on the second floor of the Engineering Administration building). 

Judging will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m., followed by an awards ceremony.  The structures will remain on display through April 3.

Participating schools are Bartlett, Bolton, Central, Collierville, Germantown, Houston, Millington, St. Benedict at Auburndale, St. George’s Independent School, and White Station.

This is the second year for the Memphis event.  Last year the competition contributed 8,473 cans containing 6,042 pounds of food to the Memphis Food Bank for a total of 4,819 meals.

Coordinated by the Society for Design Administration, Canstruction is held in cities throughout North America. Teams of architects, engineers, and students, mentored by professionals, design and build giant structures entirely from full cans of food. After the event, the cans are donated to local food banks for distribution through their programs.  Details about the national program are available online at www.canstruction.com

Canstruction at the U of M is organized by the American Society of Civil Engineers West Tennessee Younger Members Group.

For more information, call 901-678-3286.