Experimenting with Fun

NLSD ups the science game.

On Wednesday, Northern Lights Public Schools held their 6th Annual Science Olympics at the Bold Centre in Lac La Biche. 340 students in grade 6-9, participated in the five hour event, that had student competing in four science driven challenges. Heather Stromquist, Director of Community Partnerships & Engagement for NLSD says it’s fascinating to see the students love for science grow with each year.

“The events are timed and the students are judged on how they perform [from a scientific standpoint]. There’s no room for [subjectivity], so it’s an even playing field,” Stromquist explains each grade level competes against teams from the same grade level. 13 schools in the division send at least one team of five students per grade level at that school. The larger schools sent more teams than the smaller schools. For example Bonnyville Centralized High School only sent grade 9 students, but had more than one team representing the school because of its larger population. Each event was timed, with students given 20 minutes to complete the challenge. For the final challenge students were given 40 minutes.

“We have a huge commitment in Northern Lights for the STEM classes,” Stromquist says it is a goal of the division’s to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; the Science Olympics are just one of the ways the students become more engaged in those areas.

One of the main sponsors for the Science Olympics each year is Devon. Tracy Thompson, with Devon, says it is awesome to see the students engaged, “it’s awesome to see how brilliant these kids are. To see them interested in science is really exciting to me, these are some of the kids that might be working for us someday.”

The Events

1. Jub-Jub Catapult: Students were given material to construct and launch a jub-jub candy. The team that launched the jub-jub the furthest were given the most points. As an added challenge if students were able to land the jub-jub in a hula-hoop they were given an extra 3 feet.
2. Penny Boat: Students were given material to construct a boat that could float in a body of water. For added points students placed pennies in their boat while it floated. The more pennies, the more points.
3. Pinokkios Nose: Students were given newspaper and a string to construct a nose that had to be free standing off one of the teammate’s nose. The longer the nose, the more points
4. Marshmellow Elevator: Students were given some wooden sticks, string and a marshmellow to construct an elevator that would lift and repel the marshmellow.

2017 Winners

Third Place

Grade 9: Ecole Plamondon School: Team 4

Grade 8: Aurora Middle School: Tilley for the Win

Grade 7: Aurora Middle School: Aurora Cosmic Hippes

Grade 6: Aurora Middle School: Aurora Science Buddies

 

Second Place

Grade 9: BCHS: Team 4

Grade 8: Art Smith Aviation Academy: Bolts

Grade 7: Nelson Heights: Splitting Atoms

Grade 6: HE Bourgoin: Lift Kit

 

First Place

Grade 9: JA Williams: Sharks #2

Grade 8: Kikono: Contagious Intelligence

Grade 7: Nelson Heights: Knights of Knowledge

Grade 6: Aurora Middle School: Old Man Squad

 

Prior to the competition Northern Lights held a division wide contest to design the Tshirts that all the students, volunteers and teacher wore during the event. The 2017 winner was Logan Shulko grade 6 students at Aurora Middle School.

Thanks to all the sponsors who helped make the event possible; Britton’s Your Independent Grocer, Canadian Natural, Cenovus Energy, Devon Canada, Imperial, The Stichin’ Man, Home Hardware Building Centre Lac La Biche, Tara’s Pizza, Big Dog 103.5, Kool 101.3 and K-Rock 95.3.