"Canstruction" at the U of M March 27 Will Build Engineering Skills
and Fight Hunger

For release: March 13, 2009
For press information, contact Dr. Stephanie Ivey, 901/678-3286

Teams from 11 high schools in Memphis and Shelby County will build amazing structures from cans of food as part of the “Canstruction” competition on Friday, March 27, at the University of Memphis. The competitors will assemble their structures between 9 a.m. and noon in the lobby of the Herff College of Engineering (second floor of the Engineering Administration Building), at the corner of Central Avenue and Zach Curlin St.

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

Participating schools are Central, Collierville, Cordova, East, Douglass, Germantown, St. Agnes, St. Benedict at Auburndale, St. George’s Independent School, St. Mary’s Episcopal School, and White Station.

Last year Bolton High School students built the structure "Canada Forest".

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

This is the third year for the Memphis event. Last year’s competition contributed more than 25,000 pounds of food to the Memphis Food Bank. That donation provided 20,030 meals.

The U of M’s “Canstruction” event is organized by the American Society of Civil Engineers West Tennessee Branch Younger Members Group.

For more information, contact Dr. Stephanie Ivey by phone at 901-678-3286 or via email at ssalyers@memphis.edu

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Media Resources

"Canstruction" at the U of M March 27 Will Build Engineering Skills and Fight Hunger

"Canstruction" at the U of M March 27 Will Build Engineering Skills
and Fight Hunger