By Crystal Gwizdala
UNIVERSITY CENTER – Delta College was teeming with young, brilliant minds on Saturday, Feb. 22 as they held yet another successful Science Olympiad.
Science Olympiad is a national tournament where students from kindergarten through high school show off their skills through rigorously regimented science competitions. Competitors begin at the regional level; winners advance to the statewide tournament and then on to nationals.
Aron Drake, associate professor in biology, is a member of the steering committee. Drake enjoys helping with Delta’s many STEM initiatives in the community.
“The idea is to help develop middle and high school kids who are interested in science and give them an outlet to really work on stuff that they enjoy,” says Drake.
Science Olympiad runs a spectrum of events. Students can compete by testing in subjects such as ornithology, microbiology and astronomy; or building mouse-trap powered cars, elastic-powered airplanes and ping-pong parachutes.
Drake enjoys the events where he gets to interact with students and evaluate their projects.
“It’s really fun to see – especially the students who you can tell have put a lot of time into the event – the expressions on their faces [when they’re successful],” says Drake.
But sometimes, despite all the efforts poured into a project, something goes wrong at the last minute.
“There’s sort of that heartbreak,” says Drake. “But at the same, that heartbreak is there because you know they put in the work.”
Jefferson Middle School and Laker High School both took home first place trophies in the region. These schools will both be advancing to the state tournament at Michigan State University on Saturday, April 25.
Delta College hosted a region containing eight counties this year, encompassing the area from Arenac, to Gratiot and Sanillac. Delta has hosted a regional tournament for more than 20 years, more than two-thirds of Science Olympiad’s existence in the state of Michigan.
The students and the coaches look forward to this event every year.
“We love Delta,” says Michael Rangitsch, coach at Nouvel Catholic Central High School. “It’s amazing that they do this.”
