Recently, students from East Idaho participated in a STEM competition at Idaho State University. Instead of showcasing their strength and endurance, teams gathered in Pocatello on April 13 for the Eastern Idaho Science Olympiad. Hosted by ISU’s Department of Physics, the event featured teams of sixth through ninth-grade students from four different schools competing in events covering topics such as forensics, epidemiology, and experimental design.
The Science Olympiad offers a valuable opportunity for young scientists and engineers to apply their knowledge in a fun and challenging setting. According to Steve Shropshire, a professor of physics at Idaho State University, the event provides an excellent platform for students to develop critical thinking skills and gain hands-on experience with scientific research.
In addition to individual medals, team scores were tallied to determine an overall winner. Pocatello Community Charter School took home the top team prize, followed by Hawthorne Middle School and Grace Lutheran Middle School. The success of the Eastern Idaho Science Olympiad was made possible by volunteers from various departments at Idaho State University and organizations such as the Pocatello Kiwanis Club and Idaho National Laboratory. These volunteers helped make the event a success and shared their passion for STEM fields with participating students.
Congratulations were extended to all competitors and coaches for their hard work, as many of the events were closely contested. For more information on the Olympiad, you can contact Steve Shropshire or visit ISU’s Department of Physics website.
