Lori and Ali de Jong, Claire, Julie and Kate Richey
Monday night the Texas Theatre came alive with builders, both young and old. The occasion was the world premiere of Calatrava Student Constructors. The project involved students selected from area private and public schools to construct a 20-foot long replica of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge complete with cables and roads at The Trinity Trust offices last May. Emmy award-winning producer Judy Kelly captured the various stages of the project from the students meeting with experts at the bridge site to the building of the replica. The student stars of the film included: Roland Baumann of Dallas International School, Kalen Beacham of Greenhill School, Simon Cohen of W.B. Travis Academy, Ali de Jong of Ursuline Academy, Star Jackson of North Mesquite High School, Jaylin Knight of Agnew Middle School, Ricardo Mojica of Conrad High School, Gabrielle Munoz of The Hockaday School, Rubi Perez of Irma Rangel YWLS, Claire Richey of North Hills Prep, Angelica Sanjuan of Townview School of Science and Engineering and Rachael Shima of Bishop Dunne Catholic School.
Student constructor Simon, who is now a Booker T. Washington freshman and was awarded a scholarship to TAG program last summer thanks to the SMU Talented and Gifted program. Simon commented, “The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge is like a dream. When you look at it, the final version, it’s breath-taking and it almost seems magical… but once taken through the step-by-step process, you can really understand the complexity, but also why it fits together so well.”
Judy Kelly
According to Judy, “The classroom and the model construction processes were captured in the film in the hope that students throughout the DFW area could learn how the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge works. The most dramatic moment came when the false work was removed and the finished model, complete with the 8-foot-high signature arch piece and all 58 cables, floated on its own—an engineering marvel.”
L.C. Tubb, Bill Doreen, Duane Milligan, Rebecca Rasor, Jim McTaggert and Charlie Quade
In between screenings of the film, a panel discussion was held with engineering and construction representatives. Moderator/TTT Director of Outreach and Development Melanie Ferguson asked each of the panelist what they considered to be the highlight of their involvement:
- Bill Doreen, Williams Brothers Construction: “One of the emotional highs was the day when Cimolai (Italian steel company that fabricated the steel and welded most of it) dropped in the center section of the arch. When you think about it, 500 feet off the floor in 15 minutes, it was a testimonial to the Italian fabrication and engineering.”
- L.C. Tubb, MICA Corporation: “My high was when we turned all the lights on that brought together the 5 or 6 years of work. It gave you a rush when you could look at the bridge at all angles and see it lit up. It’s going to be a wonderful view for Dallas.”
- Duane Milligan, Texas Department of Transportation: “When we had finished assembling the arch, part of my job was to go up in a crane and inspect it from the top of the arch. That was definitely the best.”
- Rebecca Rasor, Trinity River Project/City of Dallas: “It was both my high and low. When we first had the bridge bid, it was too high. But then we rebid it and getting that second bid, which was half of the original bid, was great.”
- Charlie Quade, Huitt-Zollars, Inc.; “My high was when the arch fit together. Seeing it go from paper to fabrication, the stay cable going up. It’s been a good project. This is a cable stayed bridge, and it’s the only one that VSL has built in Texas.”
- Jim McTaggart of VSL—the company responsible for hanging the 58 cables; “Getting the last cable installed was the highlight for me.”
Presented in partnership with SMU’s Summer Youth Program of the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, SMU’s Talented and Gifted Program and The Study Center Inc., the film’s premiere was also sponsored by American Council of Engineering Companies of Dallas, Dallas Architectural Forum, Dallas Center for Architecture, Dallas CityDesign Studio, Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce, The Real Estate Council, Texas Society of Architects/AIA and West Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
For those interested in sponsorship or underwriting the Calatrava Student Constructors film for educational distribution, contact The Trinity Trust at 214.740.1616.
Photo credit: Dana Driensky
