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Middle School STEM Enthusiasts Take Part in Science Olympiad

Sanford fifth-grade students placed fourth overall in this year’s Elementary Division of the Delaware Science Olympiad on Saturday, April 14th, at Wilmington University.
Teams were comprised of 12 students each, representing 21 schools in New Castle County, and prepared for months for this competition, which focuses on numerous STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) activities. This is the third year for an elementary division competition for the annual Delaware Science Olympiad, which allows for an age-appropriate event designed specifically for younger students. This year’s participants from Sanford were fifth graders Katie Adomopolous, Noura Chowdhury, Johnny Colgan, Rohan Gaddy, Carson Kalish, Andrew Kaser, Nikil Patel, Gabby Radziewicz, Ava Swann, Cam Taylor, JT Thiara, and Matthew Zhou.

Middle School instructors Beth Whipple, Emily Egan, and Ellen Haschak have worked together for the past few years to build a strong Science Olympiad coaching staff. The level of interest in participating does require students to try out for the team. Those selected stay after school once a week for 75 minutes for at least four months prior to the competition. Students are challenged in areas in which they are interested, and they must learn how to show inner fortitude by working around project requirements, like time constraints and limitations on materials used. “‘We don’t tell the students how to win,” explained Whipple. “We provide materials and we coach them, but the design process for events like the popsicle catapult or the straw egg drop are completely the children’s ideas. These experiences lead to authentic learning, which gives the students a sense of ownership in their final product. Success in any event requires teamwork and collaboration throughout the entire process.”

Some the events where Sanford students medaled include Large Number Estimation where Carson and Andrew had a chance to demonstrate their strong math skills answering questions such as, “How many paper clips could stretch end-to-end across a football field?” They earned an impressive second-place medal in this event.

Johnny and Nikil had to practice diligently to build three paper helicopters in the Chopper Challenge event that rotated in different directions, which they then dropped to make them fall as slowly as possible. Their hard work earned them a third-place medal.

Rock Hound is a very challenging event that required identifying, classifying, and answering questions about 50 different rocks and minerals. To do so, Ava and Andrew had to create a field guide that they could then use to answer the questions, which were posted at a variety of stations. Because of their preparation, hard work, and collaboration, Ava and Andrew earned a fourth-place medal.

In Write It/Do It, Cam had to describe in writing the structure made of unknown materials, like Legos or K’NEX. His partner, JT, had to use Cam’s description to then build the structure. Their strong communication skills earned them a fourth-place medal.

Starry Night: Noura and Ava did a fantastic job of practicing identifying constellations, stars, and other celestial objects in the Starry Night event. they earned a 7th place medal.

While Noura and Carson did not medal in the Popsicle Catapult and Rohan and Gabby’s egg did not survive in the Egg Drop competition, both teams worked very hard on their design and problem-solving skills and deserve a huge “shout out” for their efforts.

“Competing allows the students to take academic risks, including that first big step of trying out for the team. These risks are crucial to learning and mean that a student is willing to fail, which is very important to personal and academic growth. Having said all that, the whole process is just plain fun! We enjoy our practice sessions, and we have a great time at the Olympiad. Every member of our team, regardless of their success in the day’s event, worked diligently and represented team Sanford beautifully. The entire day was filled with smiling faces and lots of joyful learning. Every school should have the opportunities that a Science Olympiad can provide,” shared Whipple.
 
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