SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - South Florida high school students are building up and learning by design.

Florida International University hosted the “Wall of Wind Challenge” at its College of Engineering & Computing, Thursday morning.

For the judged STEM competition, teams from eight high schools across South Florida were challenged to create a design that will improve a tall building’s aerodynamic performance.

The models were then tested by the “Wall of Wind,” which includes Category 5 hurricane conditions.

“It’s a way to inspire these next generation of high school students to get into STEM career fields, wind engineering, or whatever it might be,” said Erik Salna of the International Hurricane Research Center. “It’s a day they never forget.”

An awards ceremony was held at the end of the challenge.

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