Huntingdon hosts Science Olympiad state finalsMontgomery, Ala.—Young
scientists and mathematicians from across the state will converge
at Huntingdon College Saturday, March 16, for the Alabama Science
Olympiad Division B (middle/junior high) and Division C (high
school) state finals. Huntingdon
College faculty, staff, and student volunteers from the community
will run 23 events for 14 teams in Division B and 22 events for 13
teams in Division C as the teams vie for the coveted first place
trophies and subsequent advancement to national competition in the
coming weeks.
Participating Division B teams,
who have already competed and won in regional competitions,
include Auburn Junior High School, Beverlye Magnet School, Brewton
Middle School, J.F. Drake Middle School (Auburn), Fultondale High
School (Birmingham), Holy Family School (Huntsville), Our Lady of
the Valley School (Birmingham–3 teams), North Jefferson Middle
School, Randolph School (Huntsville), Trinity Presbyterian School,
and W.S. Neal Middle School (East Brewton). Participating
Division C teams are Alabama School of Math and Science
(Mobile), Auburn High School, Bob Jones High School (Madison),
Florence High School, Virgil Grissom High School (Huntsville),
James Clemens High School (Madison), LAMP High School-2 teams
(Montgomery), Montgomery Catholic
Preparatory School, Pope John Paul II Catholic High School
(Huntsville), Randolph School (Huntsville), Saint James School
(Montgomery), and Trinity Presbyterian School (Montgomery). The teams spend months—and sometimes
years—studying, practicing, and preparing for the competition.
Teams will be tested in their knowledge of a wide range of
subjects, including anatomy, physiology, forestry, epidemiology,
genetics, nutrition and food science, astronomy, electricity,
forensics, and geology. They will also be asked to build or
demonstrate a pre-built device designed according to specific
rules. Group B demonstrations that are open to the public include
Boomilever, 9:00 to 11:50 a.m., Flowers 205; Helicopters, 8:00
–11:50 a.m., Seay Twins Art Gallery; Mission Possible, 9:00 a.m.
to 12:30 p.m., Bellingrath Hall B2; Mousetrap Vehicle, 11:00 a.m.
to 2:20 p.m., Roland Arena; Rotor Egg Drop, 9:00–11:50 a.m.,
Houghton Library Atrium; and Sounds of Music, 10:00 a.m. to 1:30
p.m., Smith Music Building Recital Hall. Group C public events
include Elastic Launch Glider, 12:30–3:20 p.m., Wilson Community
Center (Cloverdale Campus); Gravity Vehicle, 11:00 a.m.–3:20 p.m.,
Roland Arena; Magnetic Levitation, 12:30–3:20 p.m., Wilson
Building 210, Main Campus; and Robot Arm, 12:30–3:20 p.m., Library
Atrium. See the Science Olympiad Web site at so.huntingdon.edu
for event schedules and event descriptions.
This is the thirteenth consecutive year for Huntingdon to host the
Division B state finals, and the third year for Division C teams
to compete at Huntingdon. The
Opening Ceremony for the Division B event will be held in
Huntingdon's Catherine Dixon Roland Arena at Roland Student
Center, 7:30 a.m.; Division C will open in the same location at
8:30 a.m. Closing ceremonies with award presentations will begin
at 4:00 p.m. in the same location for Division B and 5:00 p.m. for Division C.
For more information: The event is coordinated by Dr.
Sid Stubbs, provost and dean of the college; and co-directed
by Dr. James Daniels, associate professor of biology,
(334) 833-4470.
Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated
to improving the quality of K–12 science education, increasing
male, female and minority interest in science, creating a
technologically-literate workforce, and providing recognition for
outstanding achievement by both students and teachers. These
goals are achieved by participating in Science Olympiad
tournaments and non-competitive events, incorporating Science
Olympiad into the classroom curriculum, and attending teacher
training institutes.
Huntingdon College has a 158-year
commitment to nurturing growth in faith, wisdom, and service and
to graduating individuals prepared to succeed in a rapidly
changing world. The College's motto, "Enter to grow in wisdom; go
forth to apply wisdom in service," is engraved in stone above the
door of Huntingdon's historic Flowers Hall. Ranked in the top tier of regional colleges by
U.S. News and World Report and consistently listed in the
Princeton Review's "The Best Colleges: Region by Region,"
Huntingdon is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Washington Monthly, which ranks colleges on the basis of
their contribution to the public good, places Huntingdon in the
top 20% of 352 baccalaureate colleges. |