Hundreds of local students gathered at California State University Stanislaus on Saturday for the 27th annual Stanislaus County Regional Science Olympiad.

A whopping 21 middle school teams and 16 high school teams, with up to 15 students each, participated in the Stanislaus County Regional Science Olympiad. No Turlock schools fielded a team.

Participants tested their mettle at solving crimes, building intricate contraptions, designing experiments, and identifying rocks – all using scientific and engineering principles.

“In addition to learning to work as a team, students gain an understanding and appreciation of the sciences through the hands-on competition,” said Barbara Little, the Program Coordinator at the Stanislaus County Office of Education for the Stanislaus County Regional Science Olympiad and NorCal Science Olympiad State Director.

As a nationwide science competition, Science Olympiad provides rigorous standards-based competitions in all 50 states, with more than 6,400 competing teams.

The national non-profit organization looks to improve the quality of K-12 science education by increasing student interest in science, creating a technologically literate workforce and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers. These goals are achieved by training for and participating in Science Olympiad tournaments, such as the Stanislaus County Regional Science Olympiad.

The university frequently serves as the host site for the Stanislaus County Regional Science Olympiad, and also provides several university staff volunteers at the event. The competition itself requires more than 150 volunteers to coordinate the event each year.

“The University [was] a very gracious host,” Little said.

The four overall winners for Division B (Grades 6-9) were:
4th Place – La Loma Jr. High
3rd Place – Hart-Ransom Jr. High
2nd Place – Blaker-Kinser Jr. High – Purple Team
1st Place – Hickman Charter

The four overall winners for Division C (Grades 9-12) were:
4th Place – Oakdale High School – Gold Team
3rd Place – Enochs High School
2nd Place – Central Catholic high School
1st Place – Modesto High School – Crimson Team

Individuals events included Anatomy, Boomilever, Crime Busters, Disease Detective, Dynamic Planet, Experimental Design, Food Science, Forestry, Helicopters, Heredity, Keep the Heat, Meteorology, Metric Mastery, Mission Impossible, Mousetrap Vehicle, Reach for Stars, Road Scholar, Rocks and Minerals, Rotor Egg Drop, Shock Value, Sounds of Music, Water Quality and Write/Do It.

The overall winners from Stanislaus County in both Divisions B and C will compete in the Northern California Science Olympiad on April 13 at Mission Oak High School in Tulare.

To learn more about Science Olympiad, visit www.soinc.org.