1. Letter to the Judges
1550 Owens Store Road
Canton, GA 30115
19 April 2012
Judges, Senior Project
Creekview High School
1550 Owens Store Road
Canton, GA 30115
Dear Judges:
My name is Kyle Doughty, and I hope to be one of the greatest engineers this world has ever
seen. Engineering leads my life, because engineering is my passion. Nothing on this planet
excites my brain in the same fashion that math and science working in tandem do, because
nothing seems quite as elegant or consistent. To me, math and science are the tools for
understanding the universe, and engineering is when those tools are used to create works of art.
For these reasons, as well as many others, I chose to build a footbridge across a creek as my
Senior Project.
To clarify, this bridge spans a sixteen-foot-wide gap over a ditch that is at least four feet deep.
That depth does not include the creek flowing at the bottom or the three more feet that had to be
dug through in order to lay one of the foundations. The main beams and supports are made from
six-by-sixes, the decking from two-by-fours, and the handrail from four-by-fours and a few more
two-by-fours and two-by-sixes. Before I constructed my bridge, I researched Bechtel
Corporation, the largest engineering firm in the world. Based on the company’s allocation of
resources and methodical approach to a problem, I was able to create my own approach for
building the bridge. Along the way, I learned to budget both time and resources, and I learned to
take advantage of the weather. With few setbacks, I was able to successfully complete the bridge,
which is still standing and shows no signs of damage due to weather or lack of structural
integrity.
The bridge, as well as my research, relate directly to an engineering career. Before this project, I
already wanted to be an engineer. During the project, I learned that civil engineering is not my
first choice amongst the various fields available. That being said, the experience proved to be
very enjoyable and informative, but by the end I would say that it felt more like a hobby than a
career choice. For my actual career, my research forced me to evaluate all the fields of
engineering, so I have decided to pursue a degree in Materials Science and Engineering. This
field is on the frontier of science, growing at an astonishing rate, and I will be learning from the
best at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
As for my learning endeavors at Creekview, with the Senior Project in particular, I would say
that some tasks were more tedious than helpful. Building the actual product was the best part, but

2. most if not all of the paperwork and various due dates seemed rather pointless and rushed. I am
an Honors student that is taking three AP courses this year, so I cannot be held down by pointless
deadlines and assignments that amount to little more than busy-work. This project is supposed to
prepare me for college, but I have that taken care of by literally half of my classes. As a
suggestion, I would argue that a new graduation requirement be a semester- or year-long course
devoted exclusively to everything college-related. Instead of Freshman Academy, the school
could call it Senior Academy. All of that being said, judges, I thank you for your time and hope
that you enjoy my Senior Project.
Sincerely,
Kyle Doughty