CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — STEM students from Flour Bluff Intermediate, Junior High and High school paid a visit to the Padre Island where they learned about the Commodores Drive Bridge project.
LJA, the engineering firm consulting on the project teamed up with Flour Bluff ISD to host the event.
KRIS 6 News reporter Tony Jaramillo spoke to a couple of students to see how they enjoyed learning a real-world lesson outside of the classroom.
"I take a lot of interest in this. Even though I love learning, I’d just rather be here," 8th grader Isabella Echols said
"I think this was a really cool experience. Being in the classroom you’re limited with what you can do, and I feel like they can only cover the basics. But getting out here, getting to see stuff like this is a really good experience," junior Connor Murphy said.
Jeff Coym, the vice president of public works at LJA, chimed in on this type of learning for students.
"You can’t learn everything in the classroom. That’s for sure," Coym said. "You have to get out here the field and take a lot at things. Seeing the mistakes that are made and also learning from that knowledge. That’s how you gain the experience."
This event also made students think critically about the $9.2 million project, as there are lots of moving parts. The students learned that the 5-lane bridge will connect boat traffic from the north to south sides of Padre Island, which will lead to improved water circulation and result in better water quality through the canals. It will also have a 14-foot air draft clearance underneath for boat traffic.
"It’s really complex. It takes a lot of thinking. That’s kind of what I want to do," Murphy said.
"It inspires me, especially how people are building this, it benefits the environment, like more water circulation. It benefits a lot of animals around here," Echols said.
Coym said the anticipated completion date for this project is in the first or second quarter of 2025.
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