Thirty four teams of middle and high school students competed in the 2024 Iowa Science Olympiad state tournament on April 6 on the Iowa State University campus.
Science Olympiad is a nationwide competition to increase middle and high school students’ interest in STEM and provide recognition for outstanding achievement in team events.
Teams compete in 23 events within earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Events include things such as Air Trajectory, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry Lab, Code Busters, Experimental Design, Ecology, Flight, Reach for the Stars, Robot Tour, and Wheeled Vehicle.
The Iowa Science Olympiad State Tournament ran all 23 events for both middle school and high school – and top teams advance to the national competition, held May 24-25 in Lansing, Michigan.
Middle school results:
- 1st – Holmes Junior High (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
- 2nd – Ames Middle School (Ames, Iowa)
- 3rd – Mount Vernon Middle School (Mount Vernon, Iowa)
High school results:
- 1st – Ames High School (Ames, Iowa)
- 2nd – Cedar Falls High School (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
- 3rd – Mount Vernon High School (Mount Vernon, Iowa)
This is the first year the state Science Olympiad tourney was hosted by Iowa State, led by Heidi Doellinger, College of Engineering assessment analyst and Iowa Science Olympiad state director – and supported by 115 volunteers.
“Volunteers are essential in running the Iowa Science Olympiad State Tournament – and most came from the College of Engineering,” says Doellinger. “We appreciate volunteers’ commitment to encouraging STEM interest in the next generation!”