East Noble High School is one of seven area schools entered in the 2010 Northeast Indiana Regional Science Olympiad Saturday at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Teams of students will compete in 27 events in science, engineering and technology, according to Science Olympiad coordinator Scott Armstrong. Topics include remote sensing, forensics, disease detectives, health science and sumo-bots.
"We're participating in all the events," said East Noble science teacher and Science Olympiad coach Mark Liepe. East Noble finished in fifth place in 2009, but did not have students entered in each event. "To score a lot of points, you need someone in every event," he said.
Other area schools participating are
Canterbury (two teams), Carroll,
Columbia City,
Manchester and
Wayne.
East Noble team members are also members of the school's Bi-Phy-Chem Club, and are preparing for their events during school and after school. For one of the events East Noble students have constructed a launcher from a plastic soft drink bottle. A chemical reaction is expected to propel the top with a parachute into the air. "This demonstration is outside in the IPFW parking lot," said Liepe.
Each event competition will be directed and judged by an IPFW faculty member or local expert in each specific field. IPFWW undergraduate and graduate student volunteers assist with all aspects of the tournament.
East Noble's Science Olympiad team members are: seniors Amber Sizelove, Hannah Morton, Chris Bassett, Amber Roesener and Kim Springstead; juniors Spencer Brachula, Joel Brachula, Gabe Stephens and Jake Oury; sophomores Natalie Ehmke, Josh Roesener, Katie Merkling, Kerrick Gerst and Kelly Reed. Freshmen Kyle Mundon and Tyler Kohlman, and sophomore Mitch Brachula will be alternates and trial event participants.
The Science Olympiad is an inquiry-based, national competition for middle and high school students that has been held for 25 years. Eight other regional tournaments throughout the state are conducted in February. The structure of the competitions encourages collaboration within a team, academic mastery and hands-on fabrication and trouble-shooting skills.
East Noble received a Science Olympiad Seed Fund Grant from the ISTEM Resource Network and the Purdue University Office of Engagement to help cover participation costs for the event.