FEATURES Our Neighborhood: The Way It Was • Interesting People • Local History • Events Around Town And More 21 • TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014 Building Bridges To Higher Learning Ridgewood High School Students Take Science To New Levels by Noah Zuss Students from Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood competed in the Regional Bridge Building Competition Saturday Apr. 5, and 11th-grader Arafath Hussain took home the first place prize for his entry. The regional meet was held at John Bowne High School, with top finishers moving on to the international competition held in Chicago. Hussain will travel to Chicago with bridge building coach and science teacher Lloyd Kiefer. The international competition will be held at the Illinois Institute of Technology on Saturday, May 10. On a recent visit to the school, the students were asked to come to the principal’s office––to receive accolades, not punishment––from principal Denise Vittor. “You’ve taken a big idea and made it real,” she told the club. “I commend you. Hussain, from Bangladesh, has only been in th United States for a year, works 2-3 days a week at Dunkin Donuts and still has time to devote hours to academics and club activities. To Hussain, the competition could serve as preparation for a career in science, technology or engineering. Looking to the future and thinking of the things he has learned along the way Hussain said of the process, “i’ts gonna help me with thinking about structures, design and physics.” Kiefer also sees the club as building skills students will use for the rest of their lives, both in college and in the workplace. “It teaches them to deal with any problem in their career,” Kiefer said. “What I like about bridge building is it goes beyond testing,” he added. “I’m very proud of these kids because despite their many daily struggles and responsibilities they manage create new ideas and overcome difficulties,” he said. The bridges are all made of bass wood and glued together, then they are tested with weights to determine efficiency. Hussain’s bridge withstood 3,280 times its own weight, earning him -SEE BRIDGE ON PG. 62- Some of the members of Grover Cleveland High School’s bridge building club are pictured above with teacher Lloyd Kiefer. Enjoying A Ridgewood Street Fair The Ridgewood Local Development Corporation held a street fair on Myrtle Avenue between Wyckoff Avenue and Forest Avenue Sunday, Apr. 13. Hundreds came out to enjoy the sunny weather, sample some fair foods, browse wares offered by street vendors and take a view at some vintage city buses on display. The Times Newsweekly was among the event’s co-sponsors. (photo: Marcin Zurawicz) Holiday ‘Hop’-penings At Woodhaven Plaza The Easter Bunny hopped over to Woodhaven’s Forest Parkway Plaza last Saturday, Apr. 12, to meet children during the Woodhaven Business Improvement District’s (WBID) spring promotion. Among those pictured with the bunny are Maria Thomson, WBID executive director; helpers Lisa Komninos and Maggie May; and musicians from Plastic Soul, who performed for shoppers and revelers.
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