Science is power – Two LWSD teams compete at national Science Olympiad event

Two Lake Washington School District teams made it to the national Science Olympiad competition this year. Evergreen Middle School and Nikola Tesla STEM High School participated in the event on May 25 in East Lansing, Mich. Although none of the teams finished in first place overall, Tesla STEM took home first place in one event and Evergreen finished in the top six in two events at the national competition. This year was the 40th Annual Science Olympiad National Tournament. 

The teams from Evergreen and Tesla STEM each won the state championship earlier this year and automatically qualified for the national competition. Each team was the only one from Washington state in each of their divisions. 

Below is a list of the events each team placed in:

• Tesla STEM
  • Robot Tour – First Place
• Evergreen Middle School
  • Disease Detectives – Fifth Place
  • Wheeled Vehicle – Sixth Place

According to the Science Olympiad website, Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each division (Division B is middle school; Division C is high school). Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology. By combining events from all disciplines, Science Olympiad encourages a wide cross-section of students to get involved. Emphasis is placed on active, hands-on group participation. Through Science Olympiad, students, teachers, parents, principals and business leaders bond together and work toward a shared goal.