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Eagle Valley Science Olympiad Champions

Since the beginning of the year, the 12 teammates have practiced every week preparing for the national Olympiad competition.

However, they never broke a sweat.

The team of Eagle Valley Middle School students are in Washington today testing their scientific knowlege int he National science Olympiad competition.

“If they’re faced with a challenge, I think they’ve got the skills and knowledge to meet it,” said team advisor Eric Anderson, who teaches eighth-grade science.  “I’m sure they’ll do well.”

Anderson said he is confident in the students’ skills but is worried because of their lack of experience.

Eagle Valley was the only Nevada schaol to form a team, so the students could not compete at a state level.

"We don't know exactly what to expect,~ Anderson said. ~We've just tried like heck to prepare for it."

Although the students have not been able to compete against other schools, they have competed against one another to prepare for the national competition.

Thuraday, the students were divided into groups of two. Each group was given paper, a piece of tape and scissors.

They had 40 minutes to build the tallest free-standing tower possible.

Fifteen-year-old David DeFlyer said he was sure he would win the competition.

"This is the faurth time I've done something like this, so I'm pretty confident in myself," he said.

Katie Lautzenhiser, eighthgrade science teacher and also i an adviser to the team, said she believes the mock competitions are an important part of the preparation.

"In our meetings, we talk about science concepts, or we’ll have them build something,,” she said.

She said the students once had to build a ramp for a car to. go up and push the opponent's car off the ramp. Another time, they had to build an apparatus that would end up popping a balloon after a long process.

"Ive been very impressed with the work they’ve done in our club meetings," Lautzenhiser said.

The team is made up of students in grades 6-9.

Anderson said it teaches them many positive skills.

"They learn how to think on their feet," he said. “They learn valuable problem-solving skills.

"They learn how to work with each other which can be very difficult when you have sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth-graders."

Samantha Matranga, 14, said the team gives her a place to be and something to do.

‘it’s fun,” she said.  “It’s something to do instead of sitting at home and watching television."

Anderson said the team gives students an outlet to explore science more in-depth.

"These are high-end science students and it provides them with a challenge they might not get in the day-to-day classroom," he said. "You've got to like science to come to this every week."

The team left Carson City on Friday and will compete today in various competitions ranging from question-and-answer to building different structures.

They will return home tonight.

"At the very least, we will come home with an idea of what it is all about," Anderson said.

He said he hopes to form a team at the high school level next year.