New Richmond Middle School’s Science Olympiad team finished 13th out of 40 Ohio middle schools in the 2016 Division B Science Olympiad at Ohio State University won by Solon Middle School. NRMS finished behind Mason (9th place) but ahead of Ross (30th) and Wyoming (32nd) among Cincinnati area schools who qualified for the state competition.
“Finishing 13th in the state of Ohio is awesome,” said Supt. Adam Bird. “But beyond the impressive results, I know that our students are benefitting so much from this learning opportunity that is preparing them for what they will achieve later in life.”
Science Olympiad is a national, team-oriented academic competition for elementary, middle and high school students that tests knowledge in scientific disciplines which include earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, construction and engineering. Teams must compete in all 23 events. The events are similar each year but not necessarily the same each year. Teams are scored based on their performance on written tests and hands-on demonstrations.
Ohio has been a powerhouse in Science Olympiad for the past decade. Ohio has had six national division B winners which makes Ohio the most competitive state.
Pam Hughes is the faculty advisor and head coach for NRMS Science Olympiad team. Kayla Sullivan is the assistant coach. Parent volunteers include Amy Weiskittel, Pat Crowley, Amy Daniel, Andrea Schultz, Tracy Maguire, Monica Davis, Dr. Adrienne Hammill, Christie Heinzman, Dean Miller, Carol George and Susan Reid. High school students: Teddy Mansfield, Joe Hammill, Travis Justice and McKenzie Miller also helped with event coaching.
“Thank you for your time, thank you for your dedication, and thanks for your commitment to NRMS students,” said Bird. “NREVSD couldn’t do it without you.”
“I’m so happy to see that all of the hard work, late nights, and time spent on the projects paid off in their performance at the State Tournament,” said Hughes. “I am very proud of all the students involved, and extend many thanks to all of the coaches, and parent volunteers for all their help, congratulations on another great season.”
Top finishers for NRMS at state included:
Ronja Frigard and Jonah Reid were awarded 2nd place for Scrambler. In Scrambler, students build and test a mechanical device which uses the energy from a falling mass to transport an egg along a track as quickly as possible stopping as close to the center of a terminal barrier without breaking the egg.
Lauren Weiskittel and Joe George placed 7th in Air Trajectory where the students build a device that launches projectiles in to a specified target.
Lauren Weiskittel and Matthew Heinzman placed 7th in Food Science where the students make ice cream, butter or curds and are tested on their knowledge of dairy and nutrition.
Dani Williams and Joe George placed 9th in Reach for the Stars where students answer questions about the properties and evolution of stars especially star forming regions and supernova remnants and their observation with different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Six grade students Grace Reid and Ruby Horgan also received 6th place medals in one of the trail events, Hovercraft.
“For many students, Science Olympiad cultivates a lifelong love of science and technology that significantly influences their college and career decisions,” said Weiskittel. “As a parent and a scientist, it is very rewarding to help students achieve their success and get as excited about science as I do.”