Science team takes state, focuses on national title
By ADAM STEWART
Staff Reporter
April Thayer and Derek Britain hope their bridge is able to withstand the competition at the Science Olympiad National Tournament next month. During state, their “elevated bridge” design held 1,380 times its own weight, taking first place honors. PHOTO BY ADAM STEWART | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
For seniors on Stanwood High School’s (SHS) varsity science team, a trip to nationals at the University of Illinois in Urbana/ Champagne for the Science Olympiad Tournament has brought their competitive career full circle.
“We qualified for nationals at the same location in seventh grade,” said team member Derek Britain. “It’s an interesting coincidence.”
Coincidence or not, the senior-laden team earned the right to represent Washington state in May by winning the state competition on April 10 at Eastern Washington University in Cheney against 19 other teams in 23 science and engineering events.
Stanwood High School’s Science Olympiad Team returns from tournament with a big trophy and will represent the state at nationals.
Attending the national tournament has always been the team’s goal.
“Win or lose, it’s always a good experience,” said Britain.
The motivation to study for test events and spend countless hours on the building events after school and on weekends comes from within, said fellow team member Harley Weaver.
“The more you learn about a subject, the more you want to learn,” said Weaver. “You get hooked.”
“The application of knowledge gives you purpose,” added Britain. “A lot of school work isn’t concrete. The success at competition is.”
The SHS science team is no stranger to the national level; the students know what needs to be done to prepare.
“This is not a science fair,” said Frank Besancon, a parent-volunteer in his 14th year with the program. “This is a serious competition.”
Besancon said the Science Olympiad is similar to an athletic event.
Co-coach Susan Britain agreed.
“The students get excited to compete. They come out of an event or test jazzed,” she said.
Susan Britain and fellow coaches, Mike Crosbie, Kathy Redfern and Robin Ringland, direct 25 students split between the varsity and JV teams.
“Invitational meets give us an idea if we’ve placed the kids right,” said Britain.
With both teams qualifying at the state level, Britain is happy with the students’ success.
The 10-member JV team will accompany the varsity squad to compete in trial events and act as alternates on the national level.
Now it’s time to prepare.
The Science Olympiad Tournament is broken into two categories. Students competing in the study events take a written exam on a variety of subjects from cell biology to environmental chemistry.
Catherine Parker said the topics get a lot broader at the national level. She plans on using tests from the regional and state events to generate a baseline for questions.
Max Osnes, who is participating in three study events, said partners work together to generate ideas and come to conclusions.
Some of the lab events are difficult to study for, said Kyle Blackburn, who competes in forensics.
“Basically, you’re tested on your application of lab procedures,” he said.
This “showing” of knowledge is similar in the building events. Students design and build an apparatus to meet specific goals within standardized requirements.
For April Thayer, the creative aspect of constructing a device is compelling. Her favorite event is trajectory.
“The goal is to launch an object into a target from different distances and heights,” said Thayer.
Thayer spent spring break in the school’s gymnasium dialing in her trajectory device after a bungee cord mishap at the state tournament.
“It takes hours of practice to get it right,” she said. “I’m pretty confident for nationals.”
Jimmy Besancon and Derek Britain are riding some confidence heading to Illinois as well. Their entries in the “mousetrap vehicle” and “mission possible” events both took first place at state.
Besancon enjoys troubleshooting the devices and focuses on creating designs that produce consistent results.
Parent-volunteers Carol and Tony Thayer enjoy watching their daughter, April, and all the students work together as a team. The couple meets with students three times a week to help in any way they can.
“It’s definitely rewarding,” said Carol Thayer.
Not only are the students learning, they also gain self-confidence, said Tony Thayer.
To raise funds for travel expenses to nationals, the science team will host a car wash on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Haggen parking lot.
Staff Reporter Adam
Stewart: 629-8066 ext. 115
or astewart@scnews.com.
Results from the Washington
State Science
Olympiad Tournament:
FIrst PLACE
Elevated Bridge:
Derek
Britain and April Thayer
Fossils:
Jimmy Besancon
and Harley Weaver
Forensics:
Kyle Blackburn
and John Parker
Mousetrap Vehicle:
Jimmy Besancon and
Derek Britain
Mission Possible:
Jimmy Besancon and
Derek Britain
SECoND PLACE
Ecology:
Max Osnes
and Rebecca Raible
Remote Sensing:
Derek
Britain and Max Osnes
Write It, Do It:
David
Zietz and Mark Zietz
THIrD PLACE
Chemistry Lab:
Peter
Holmes and David Zietz
FoUrt H PLACE
Anatomy and Physiology:
Max Osnes and
Harley Weaver
Astronomy:
Heather
Biehl and Rebecca
Raible
Dynamic Planet:
Heather Biehl and
Harley Weaver
Picture This:
Heather
Biehl, Max Osnes and
John Parker
Technical Problem
Solving:
Kyle Blackburn
and John Parker
