Students are competing in a statewide science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Friday and Saturday.
According to a release from UAF, Science Olympiad is a nationwide competition that allows students to learn about science, technology, engineering and math by working together and engaging in hands on-learning. Students have been preparing for the competition by studying and practicing building skills since October, Communications Manager Cherissa Dukelow explained. K-12 students compete at local, regional and national levels for Science Olympiad.
Dukelow said this is UAFs first time hosting the competition. Previously, the statewide competition has been held in the Mat-Su Valley.
The winning team will go to the 2023 National Science Olympiad Tournament in Wichita, Kansas, in May.
Students from Ryan Middle School, Barnette Magnet School, Discovery Peak Charter School, Fairbanks BEST Homeschool, Ladd Elementary School and North Pole Middle School will represent Fairbanks and North Pole. Nine teams of six to eight students each from eight middle schools will compete in 16 events, the release stated.
Dukelow encouraged residents to watch the building competitions on Friday. She said you get to see “the fun of observing middle school aged kids getting excited about STEM, and in particular, engineering.”
The bridge, wheeled vehicle and trebuchet events will take place in the Usibelli Building, and the flight event will be in the Student Recreation Center on Friday. Students will participate in an event called “Codebusters” in which students will decode encrypted messages and an event called “Green Generation” where students will put their knowledge of ecological principles to the test.
Alaska’s Science Olympiad is organized by the Alaska National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, the UAF College of Engineering and Mines, and the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics.
Contact Haley Lehman at 907-459-7575 or by email at hlehman@newsminer.com
