Purdue to host Science Olympiad
By Corrie Wollet
Staff
Writer
Testing their scientific skills in events ranging
from chemistry to anatomy to weather, students from 21 schools will
come to Purdue to compete in this year's 10th annual regional Science
Olympiad.
From 8:30 to 2:30 on Saturday in Wetherill Laboratory
of Chemistry, Room 300, students will compete at Purdue, one of the
nine regional competition sites in Indiana.
At Purdue, middle and high school students will
test their skills in over 30 specific events in categories such as designer
genes, crimebusters and bridge building.
These are meant to test the student’s knowledge
of mathematics, cellular biology, chemistry, meteorology and earth sciences.
Students have one hour to complete their missions.
According to Isidore Julien, the department of
biological sciences outreach coordinator, "Science Olympiad is
designed to stimulate students in science among the middle and high
school levels and to show them that science can be fun."
There are 10 middle school teams and 11 high school
teams competing this year. There are 15 people per team, and each member
has knowledge over a certain field.
From the 31 events, the top three schools from
both middle and high school levels go on to the state competition at
Indiana University.
Five coordinators planned this event for many months
— Dennis Harp, outreach coordinator for physics; Willie Burgess
from earth and atmospheric sciences; Julie Hains from chemistry; Isidore
Julien, outreach coordinator for biological sciences; and Dennis Sorge,
the director of academic services in the School of Science and the head
coordinator for the program.
Purdue students who were former Science Olympiad
participants are in charge of the events.
Jon McDonald, one of the event overseers, said
that most of the people helping out were involved in past tournaments
and saw how they were poorly run.
"We are trying to change that and prepare
the students for the state competition," said McDonald.
Students oversee events such as the egg drop, bridge
building and bottle rocket competitions. Jordan Garner, a freshman in
the Schools of Engineering, thought the program was rewarding because
classroom studies are applied to the competition and there are big things
to look forward to in the end, like the national competition.
Haines made a Science Olympiad Club for college
students, which is in its first year. This organization is for former
Olympiad students who want to stay involved and help during competition
time.
"This makes a big difference in the students
lives and they want a chance to give back," said Haines.
The beginning of the day, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30
p.m., is not open to the public; however, the public is welcome to attend
the awards presentation at 3:30 p.m.
Susan Greer, coordinating assistant, said, "This
is one of the biggest operations of the science program that goes unsung.
So much work goes into this, it's like the basketball sectional and
regional of science."
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