BY KELLI GILE
Walnut — Five schools and over 100 students from the Walnut Valley Unified School District distinguished themselves during the 28th Los Angeles County Science Olympiad Competition held Feb. 22 at Occidental College.
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Quail Summit Elementary School 2014 Science Olympiad Team (Photo Courtesy Kelli Gile)
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South Pointe Middle School 2014 Science Olympiad Team (Photo Courtesy Kelli Gile)
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Chaparral Middle School 2014 Science Olympiad Team (Photo Courtesy Kelli Gile)
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The Walnut High 2014 Science Olympiad Team (Photo Courtesy Kelli Gile)
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Suzanne Middle School 2014 Science Olympiad team (Photo Courtesy Kelli Gile)
The competition was fierce with over 135 elementary and secondary schools ready to show their scientific prowess. A total of 140 schools were represented in the competition, which is the largest region in the nation. Several thousand students, teachers, and parents attended the all-day event.
For the first time, two Walnut Valley elementary schools sent teams to the competition. Teams from Quail Summit and Westhoff competed and took home silver medals. Most of these young scientists competed in 4 to 6 thirty minutes events. There is no state contest for the Elementary Division A tournament.
In Division B, Walnut Valley middle schools took three of the top six-team trophies. Of the 39 middle school teams, South Pointe earned 3rd place, Suzanne earned 4th Place, and Chaparral earned 6th Place. Because of their outstanding performances, all five WVUSD middle school and high school teams have been invited to the State Championships on April 5.
These students worked in teams of two to prepare for 23 events in the categories of Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science Physics, Technology, Engineering, and Inquiry. Most students competed in three or four team events. Some teams were focused on topics of anatomy, heredity, entomology, rocks/minerals, forensics, water quality, experimental design, solar system, and meteorology. Other teams pursued engineering and created helicopters, a wheeled vehicle, rotor egg drop machine, a cantilever, and musical instruments.
“The Science Olympiad experience is a culmination of dedication, commitment, sacrifice and passion on the parts of the students, parents and coaches. The Science Olympiad requires not only head work, but heart work,” said Susan Warren, Suzanne Middle School coach and science teacher.
“Just as in the recent Winter Olympics, every minute spent in actual competition represents hours spent in preparation and hard work. I am so proud of this group of talented young scientists, who were willing to take risks and pursue advanced studies. I am thankful for everyone who helped make this experience possible for them,” she said.
Both Walnut High School and Diamond Bar high school earned trophies in the coveted top team placements for Division C. Of the 39 high school teams, Walnut High earned 2nd Place and Diamond Bar High earned 4th Place.
Walnut High School received two 1st Place medals, three 2nd Place medals, five 3rd Place medals, two 4th Place medals, one 5th Place medal, and one 6th Place medal. There were 23 events and the Mustang team placed in the top six in 14 of these events.
“We may have had the largest representation there, medaling and receiving the top six place finishes, of any district,” said Tony Goossens, who coaches the Mustang team. Goossens describes the events as extremely difficult and beyond what is taught in the classroom.
“Each student has spent countless hours studying for exams in such topics as anatomy and physiology, astronomy, chemistry, diseases, entomology, forensics, genetics, geology, material science, planetary science, problem solving, circuitry, water quality, as well as building gliders, magnetic levitation, boomilever (structure stress designs), scrambler cars, and compound machines,” he said.
Special thanks to parents Anne and David Sonner who have spent countless hours to make the Walnut High School Team such a success.
Science Olympiad tournaments are rigorous, academic, interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of individual and team events in which students prepare for during the year. There are approximately 23 challenging and motivational events that are drawn from the various disciplines of biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, computers and technology. There is a balance between events requiring knowledge of science facts, concepts processes, skills and science applications.
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