Hawthorne Middle School takes first at Eastern Idaho Science Olympiad on March 30

A team from Alameda Middle School earned second, and a second team from Hawthorne Middle School earned third 

The first-place Hawthorne team members included Jorden Breen, Simon Gifford, Aiden Gillespie, Tyler Hensley, Kyle Holm, Caleb Jensen, Joshua Long, Alexis O’Hearn, Danielle Packer and Ashlyn Smith.

Events featured home-made roller coasters, battery-powered buggies, and wood boomilevers. Students competed in a forensics challenge and tested their knowledge and experimental skills in five other fun science events. One to four students from each team could compete in each event.

All teams from Hawthorne Middle School were coached by Michael McFadden. The Alameda Middle School team was coached by Deborah Henrie.

The first-place team will receive $200, the second-place team will receive $150 and the third-place team will receive $100 to help support science education.

All teams are encouraged to compete in the state competition in Boise on April 13. The Idaho champion team will be invited to compete in the National Science Olympiad at Indiana University in May. 

The Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers. The Olympiad was made possible by faculty and student volunteers from ISU physics, biology, electrical and mechanical engineering, computer science, the Idaho Museum of Natural History and others.

For more information on the Science Olympiad program, contact Steve Shropshire at shrostev@isu.edu or visit www.soinc.org.

Idaho State University, a Carnegie-classified doctoral high research activity university and teaching institution founded in 1901, attracts students from around the world to its Idaho campuses. At the main campus in Pocatello, and at locations in Meridian, Idaho Falls and Twin Falls, ISU has nine Colleges, a Graduate School and a Division of Health Sciences that together offer more than 250 certificate and degree programs. More than 12,000 students attend ISU. Idaho State University is the state's designated lead institution in health professions.