Area schools advance to state Science Olympiad competition

CAPE GIRARDEAU Mo. — New Madrid, East Prairie and Fredericktown students captured first, second and third places, respectively, at the Regional Science Olympiad competition Feb. 9 at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

Students from each team are eligible to participate in the Missouri State Science Olympiad in May at Westminster University in Fulton.

Sikeston Senior High won a fourth place position. Also advancing to state will be the junior high winners which include East Prairie Junior High (first place) and Sikeston Junior High (second place).

The Science Olympiad competition is a compilation of events that include STEM objectives and address Missouri Science standards which are part of current science education requirements. Regional director, Melody Green, pointed out the events include opportunities for students to compete in areas of science (biology, chemistry, physics, earth & space science) as well as environmental science, engineering and inquiry.

“It is an excellent multi-discipline experience for students at a minimal expense to school districts,” Green said. “I would encourage all schools public and private to participate for the benefits for their students.”

In this year’s competition, New Madrid County Central High School captured first place, with East Prairie Senior High capturing a close second. East Prairie Junior High edged out Sikeston Junior High students to place first in the B Division competition.

Coaches for the teams Matt Hartman (New Madrid County Central), Wendy O’neal (Fredericktown), Kimberly Myers, Jon Sipp (East Prairie), Amber Vaught (Sikeston) and Anna Leach (Sikeston) will continue to prepare their students for the state competition and accompany them to the state contest.

Events included in the competition were construction events such as Boomilever, Mousetrap Vehicle, Wright Stuff and an Elastic Launch Glider competition. Students also competed in Earth Science, Chemistry, Biology and Computer/Technology events.

The Regional Science Olympiad provides opportunities for students to compete in events that are aligned with the Missouri Science learning standards.

New Madrid County Central students captured a first place medal in Anatomy & Physiology, Boomilever, Circuit Lab, Designer Genes, Fermi Questions, Fossils, Mousetrap Vehicle, Water Quality, Wright Stuff and Herpetology. First place in Astronomy, Chemistry Lab, Dynamic Planet, Geologic Mapping, Mission Possible, Protein Modeling, Sounds of Music and Write It Do It were captured by East Prairie High School Students.

Fredericktown students edged out other teams to capture first place in Disease Detectives, Experimental Design and Thermodynamic. Sikeston High School students rose to the challenge and captured first places in Codebusters and Forensics.

In the junior division, East Prairie Junior High and Sikeston Junior High shared first place honors in events. Many of the events are the same or similar to senior high events. The junior division also has Battery Buggy, Density Lab, Meteorology and Science Crime Busters events.

Dr. Margaret Hill, SEMO physics professor, serves as the university coordinator for the Region VIII Science Olympiad competition.

Hill said she is willing to donate her time because, as she put it, “this is such a great opportunity for students to experience science, learn and have fun.”

In preparing for the competition, students learn reasoning skills, application of science principles and concepts, as well as the cross-cutting concepts that link the different areas and topics of science. The competition is open to any public, private, or homeschool group and additional information can be obtained at the National Science Olympiad website (scioly.org) or by contacting Melody Green, the regional director.