More than 1,000 middle and high school students from across Kansas will gather at Wichita State University on Saturday for the Science Olympiad tournament. They’ll compete in numerous activities, all meant to promote analytical thinking.
The Kansas Science Olympiad tournament has been around for nearly three decades. This year, 34 high schools and 31 middle schools won regional contests and now will compete against each other.
Activities include building and testing robots and bridges, launching off bottle rockets, and conducting in-depth research on topics like invasive species. And, while fun, the competitions are really a way for students to show off their knowledge of math, technology and science.
“It helps show students that science is a very broad field with a lot of opportunities for jobs," says Jill Fisher, assistant director of WSU’s Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education. "And they don’t always experience that in the classroom.”
Students are competing for a chance to go to the National Science Olympiad Tournament, which will be held in Wisconsin in May.
Follow Sean Sandefur on Twitter @SeanSandefur
To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at email@example.com.