(Posted April 25, 2005)
HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Students from 70 high schools and middle schools in Pennsylvania will be experiencing how a disease detective handles and outbreak of a health problem, dropping eggs from great heights, and designing robots to move billiard balls or pick up different materials at the 2005 Pennsylvania Science Olympiad Finals to be held on the campus of Juniata College, Friday, April 29.
This will be the 15th year Juniata College has hosted the state finals.
"Juniata was the site for the 2004 National Science Olympiad, so we are going to use that experience to make this competition run like clockwork," says Ron Pauline, associate professor emeritus of education and Science Olympiad state tournament site director. "We love to host the Science Olympiad because it gives faculty, students and staff a chance to work with some of the best science students in the state."
The students will take part in a variety of science projects across campus at sites such as the von Liebig Center for Science, Knox Stadium, the Kennedy Sports and Recreation Center and the lawn behind Ellis College Center.
The 2005 Science Olympiad begins at 8:30 a.m. and continues throughout the day, ending with an awards ceremony at approximately 4:15 p.m. in the sport's center's main gym. More than 1,000 students will compete.
Competitors are separated into two divisions: Division B (grades 6-9) and Division C (grades 9-12).
Teams attending the state finals at Juniata qualified by finishing first or second at one of six regional competitions held in March. Teams finishing first or second in the April 29 state finals will go on to compete in the Science Olympiad National Tournament at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, May 20-21.
The Science Olympiad brings out the talents, resourcefulness and skills of the top young scientific minds in the state as teams create different science projects for competition in 23 events. The events, which can involve individuals or teams, allow students to think creatively while building an elaborate project.
For example, in the Naked Egg Drop, students will have to construct a package on site to catch and protect an egg dropped from a specific height.
Other events include Mission Possible, where students build Rube Goldberg-style devices to demonstrate scientific principles; Awesome Aquifer, where students design and build a model aquifer; and Storming the Castle, where students design and build a counterweight device that can launch a projectile.
Other events test knowledge and skills in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, and physics.
Science Olympiad is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science and recognizing outstanding achievements in science education.
For more information on the Science Olympiad, visit the Science Olympiad Web site: Juniata College also has a Web site dedicated to the event at http://projects.juniata.edu/scioly/.
The middle schools and high schools with teams in the 2005 Pennsylvania Science Olympiad State Finals are:
B Division - Grades 6 - 9
Northwestern Division
Shady Side Academy Middle School
Clarion Junior/Senior High School
Indiana Area Junior High School
North East Middle School
DuBois Area Middle School
Southwestern Division
Peters Township Middle School
Franklin Regional Middle School
Finley Middle School
Huston Middle School
Central Division
Hershey Middle School
Bishop McDevitt Junior High School
Eastern York Middle School
Lemoyne Middle School
Park Forest Middle School
Penns Valley Area Junior/Senior High School
Camp Hill Middle School
Southeastern Division
Bala Cynwyd Middle School
Welsh Valley Middle School
Strath Haven Middle School
Chichester Middle School
Spring-Ford Middle School
Haverford Middle School
Tamanend Middle School
Unami Middle School
Central Eastern Division
Kutztown Middle School
Whitehall Coplay Middle School
Fleetwood Middle School
East Hills Middle School
Exeter Township Junior High School
Northeastern Division
Stroudsburg Junior High School
Dallas Middle School
Central Columbia Middle School
Danville Middle School
Wyoming Area Middle School
Greater Nanticoke Area Junior/Senior High School
C Division - Grades 9 - 12
Northwestern Division
Shady Side Academy
Clarion Area High School
Montour High School
Kane Area High School
Warren Area High School
DuBois Area High School
Southwestern Division
Taylor Allerdice High School
Woodland Hills High School
Plum Senior High School
Greater Latrobe Senior High School
Franklin Regional High School
Gateway Senior High School
Central Division
State College Area High School
Bishop McDevitt Senior High School
Conestoga High School
Hershey High School
Cedar Cliff High School
Spring Grove High School
Southeastern Division
Harriton High School
Penncrest High School
Lower Merion High School
Haverford Senior High School
Friends' Central High School
West Chester Henderson High School
Central Eastern Division
Kutztown Area High School
Fleetwood Area High School
Wilson Area High School
Exeter Township Senior High School
Northeastern Division
Wyoming Area High School
Stroudsburg High School
Bishop Hoban High School
Central Columbia High School
Pittston Area High School
Athens Area High School
Lake Lehman High School
Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.