Media Advisory: Sat. Feb. 28: WFU & WS/FCS Host Science Olympiad Tournament
When: Saturday, Feb. 28 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Who and What: Nearly 400 local middle and high school students will gather for the Science Olympiad tournament, a regional competition for students interested in math and science.
Fourteen high school and 12 middle school teams (with up to 15 students each) from Alleghany, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, and Yadkin Counties will compete in 46 different science-related events, including:
- Air Trajectory (8:30 – 11:15 a.m.) – Teams launch student-built devices at tar-gets;
- Dynamic Planet (10:00 – 11:15 a.m.) – Students are tested on physical and geo-logical oceanography;
- Picture This (10:00 – 11:15 a.m.) – Pictionary-style game in which students must identify scientific words from pictures drawn by their teammates; and
- Crimebusters (12:15 – 1:30 p.m.) – Teams gather information to solve a crime scenario; and
- Egg-O-Naut (12:15 – 3:00 p.m.) – Teams attempt to launch student-built rockets without breaking the eggs inside the devices.
Approximately 80 volunteers from Wake Forest University and the Winston-Salem community helped organize the Olympiad and will present awards to the top students, who will compete in the state competition.
Where: Atkins Academic and Technology High School
3605 Old Greensboro Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Why: According to a 2014-2015 PayScale analysis of college majors with the most earning potential, the top 10 were STEM-related.
Events like Science Olympiad encourage students to pursue science by engaging in the subject in a fun and interesting way. The Olympiad features various scientific topics and rewards students for excelling in a passion that does not always receive celebration.
“We are awarding medals to kids who are good in science. This isn’t a science fair. It is not a required activity. These kids are ‘playing’ science,” says Carole Gibson, Science Olympiad regional director and Wake Forest biology professor.
A complete schedule of events is available. Please contact the news office to make arrangements.
About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is lo-cated in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.
