Going state with science
Crystal NelsonBy CRYSTAL
NELSON
News Staff Writer
Students representing three of four Alpena area schools took top honors in the region two Michigan Science Olympiad competition held at Alpena Community College Saturday. Both the Thunder Bay Junior High and Alpena High School took first place in their divisions and will be moving on to the state competition.
TBJH Coach Jim Grulke said the team had some surprises throughout the day, some of which included the team scoring better than they thought they did in events. He said there were only four events where the team didn't place in the top four.
"You know we had seven (events where we received) first place but would have been happy with four or five," Grulke said.
AHS Coach Melissa Doubek said students on her team have been practicing twice a week since November and noon to 4 p.m. on snow days. With 23 students from AHS showing interest in science olympiad this year, the school was able to have both a varsity and junior varsity team which competed in all events.
Doubek said last year the team was able to go on to the state competition and said going to state again this year was a goal the students have been working towards.
COACH Homeschoolers took second place in division B, a division that is primarily made up of students from the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth grades.
Amy Matuzak, one coach of the COACH Homeschoolers team, said all of the kids were excited that they did so well. She said last year was the team's first time competing and received third place.
"We're really excited because we have younger kids and kids that it was their first year, so it was nice," she said of the team's accomplishment.
The COACH Homeschoolers team that participated on Saturday was comprised of 15 students who were entered in 21 different events.
Eleven students from All Saints Catholic School also participated in the competition and came in eighth.
Throughout the day students participated in a variety of events and applied their knowledge of science in various impounded events as well as events that required testing.
One impounded event was the elevated bridge, where the students had to build a bridge to meet specific requirements. The project was then critiqued by science olympiad officials to make sure it met the requirements before the strength of the bridge was tested. Other impounded events included a junk yard challenge, trajectory, scrambler and the creation of an electric vehicle.
The students were also tested on numerous subjects that ranged from amphibians and reptiles to anatomy, cell biology and ecology. One testing event, reach for the stars, took place at the Besser Museum's planetarium where students had to identify stars, constellations and deep sky objects.
Both teams from AHS and TBJH participated in a practice invitational before participating in Saturday's competition. AHS practiced in Frankenmouth where they came in fifth of the participating schools and TBJH practiced in Laingsburg where they also came in fifth.
Doubek said the AHS teams will be tweaking some of their projects before they participate in the state tournament May 2. She said the team is always looking for help from volunteers with science backgrounds and is thankful for the help of volunteers the team currently has including Kathleen and Clifton Howard for the many years of service they have provided.
Crystal Nelson can be reached via e-mail at cnelson@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693.
