Winning teams announced from Eastern Idaho Science Olympics hosted by Idaho State University Department of Physics

Teams from Pocatello's Hawthorne Middle School won first and second and a team from Pocatello's Franklin Middle School finished third at the Idaho State University Department of Physics Eastern Idaho Science Olympiad.

Ten teams of seventh through ninth grade students from Eagle Rock Junior High in Idaho Falls, Sugar Salem Junior High School, White Pine Charter School in Ammon, Franklin and Hawthorne participated.

The first-place team from Hawthorne Middle School consisted of Tanner Adams, David Baker, Tristan Gray, Andrew Hall, Brooke Johnson, Kaden Nelson, Mitchel Park, Christian Shaffer and Maren Sterling. The second-place Hawthorne team was comprised of Ryan Abram, Meg Austin, Daniel Butterfield, Austin Forl, Kalee Hillier, Matt Mansfield, Tyler Northrup, Brittany Rushing, Joshua Saville and Mikayla Sherer. Gail Dutton coached both Hawthorne teams.

Third place went to a team from Franklin Middle School in Pocatello comprised of Aubrey Bushman, Caroline Calderone, Jane Morrissey, Emma Thissen and Katie Wolfley, and coaches Josh Nielsen and Deanna Long.

 Attendees competed with homemade helicopters, mousetrap-powered buggies, Rube-Goldberg machines and boomilevers. Students also competed in a forensics challenge, and tested their knowledge and experimental skills in five other fun science events. 

One to three students from each team could compete in each event.  Students earning first, second and third place in each event were presented with gold, silver and bronze medals, and gift certificates donated by The Pushy Peddler book, game, and art store of Pocatello. The teams with the highest composite ranking over all events were presented with trophies and a $50, $30 or $20 cash award to support science education courtesy of the Pocatello Kiwanis club. 

All teams are encouraged to compete in the state competition in Nampa on April 6.  The Idaho champion team will be invited to compete in the National Science Olympiad at Indiana University in May. 

The Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers. 

The Olympiad was made possible by faculty and student volunteers from the ISU departments of physics, biology, and chemistry, and volunteer scientists and engineers from the Idaho National Laboratory. 

More information on the Science Olympiad program is available at www.soinc.org.  For more information on the Eastern Idaho Science Olympiad, contact Steve Shropshire at shropshi@physics.isu.edu, or 282-2212.

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