Science Olympiad at IUN tests students, coaches
By Michelle L. Quinn Post-Tribune correspondent February 18, 2012 8:48PM
Aaron Munoz, 16, a junior from Highland High School, releases his helicopter during the Science Olympiad Regional Competition 2012 for middle and high teams at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Ind. Saturday February 18, 2012. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media
Advancing
to State
HIGH SCHOOLS
1: Valparaiso High School
2: Chesterton High School
3: Highland High School
Wild Card: Crown Point High School
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
1: Thomas Jefferson Middle School (Valparaiso)
2: Chesterton Middle School
3: Pierce Middle School
(Merrillville)
Wild Card: Forest Ridge
Academy (Schererville)
For full results, log on to www.iun.edu/~nwadmin/olympiad
Article Extras
Updated: March 20, 2012 8:21AM
GARY — After all the practices and hours spent perfecting their knowledge, the students participating in Indiana University Northwest’s 11th Science Olympiad saw a little revenge meted on their coaches.
Event co-coordinator Ken Schoon again devised the “Coaches Mystery Challenge,” wherein they got to show their stuff, but without the benefit of practice or even a hint as to what the challenge might be. This year’s challenge was to fill a balloon with 28 grams of water from 47 milliliters of water split into 35 milliliter and 12 milliliter containers; the closest to 28 grams would be the winner.
“Ken said he took the idea from ‘Diehard 3,’” said event coordinator Nelson DeLeon. “This gives the teachers a chance to think on their feet, plus the teams can’t advance unless the coaches participate.”
Col. Wheeler Middle School coach Grace Santos walked over to her team and asked them if they remembered how they would solve the puzzle.
“The density of water is 1 gram per milliliter, so if we could get as close to 28 milliliters as we could, we’d be all right,” she said of the effort of her and her assistant, Kathy Gellinger. Gellinger’s seventh-grade daughter, Maddie, took third place in the Disease Detective competition with her partner, Kylie Eldridge.
As always, the top three schools advance to the state competition March 24 at Indiana University Bloomington. From there, the top teams will advance to the national tournament on May 18 and 19 at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Additionally, the fourth-place teams will advance to the Wild Card competition at Ivy Tech in Lafayette.
Last year, Michigan City and Chesterton high schools, and Thomas Jefferson, Chesterton and Grimmer middle schools advanced to state; competing middle schools Saturday included Gavit, Chesterton, Pierce, Col. Wheeler, Fegely, St. Michael and Thomas Jefferson.
High schools in this year’s competition included Crown Point, Chesterton, Marquette, Griffith, Michigan City, Hanover Central, Portage, Highland and Valparaiso.
Maddie and Kylie were most fascinated — and disgusted — by what they learned about food-borne illnesses.
“It was the stuff that had to do with fecal matter,” Maddie said.
“They explain what it is, and I was like, ‘That’s a little too much for my mind,’” Kylie said.
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