Northern Lights students catapulted, floated, elevated, and stuck their noses out to meet the challenges presented to them at the 2017 Northern Lights Public Schools Science Olympics held yesterday at the Bold Center in Lac La Biche.
A total of 340 students in grades 6 to 9 competed in teams of five, using their science knowledge, creativity and teamwork to solve a series of four challenges. For the first challenge, students were given paint sticks, tape, elastics and a few other materials to construct a Ju Jube Catapult. Once their catapult was built, they had to use it to launch a ju jube. They received bonus points if their ju jube landed in a hula hoop. The second challenge was to build a tin foil boat. Each team placed their finished boats in a tub of water and added pennies until the boat started to take on water. There was lots of laughter during the third challenge as students had to create “Pinocchio Noses.” Using newspaper, string and masking tape, they had to build the longest nose they could and then attach it to someone’s face. The day wrapped up with the Marshmallow Elevator challenge, with students building elevators out of popsicle sticks that had to lift a marshmallow up in a “bucket.”
“We are very excited to be involved in the Science Olympics this year as a sponsor and as a volunteer judge,” said Bill Britton from Britton’s Your Independent Grocer. “It is so exciting to see the brilliant minds of some of the students at work. We are so proud of what these students accomplish and are very happy to be a part of an event that has such a great history and will be a great experience for them. This event is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives and be a part of many “remember when” conversations.”
Judges and volunteers included George Wicker, Geraldine Tchir, Peter Shamchuk, Terry Hannan, Connie Dzus, Don Bollinger, Molly Fyten, Vic Toutant, Carrie Miller, Cassie Putnam, Bruce Adolf, Joyce Cloutier, Dustin Downs, Bill Britton, Tracey Thompson, Chris Best, Ovide Langevin, Yvette Langevin, Sharon Behnke, Marleen Langford, Wally Kuncio, Lise Wawara, Heather Reid, Bill Driedger, Jill Toutant, Lindsey Delima, Harman Paintal, Rebecca Kruk, Terry Moghrabi, Melanie Elliot, Jana McKinley, Adrienne Sprecker, Glenda Bouvier, Craig Baskerville, Suzanne Aessie, Mark Centazzo, Carly Johnson, Lance Marchand, Robert Norton, Brendon Geall, Rod Pettigrew, Paula Elock, Jeff Nemish, J.A. Williams Grade 12 Students contingent, Erin Shulko, Jackie Tkachuk and Laura Akana.
Students from 13 schools in Northern Lights competed in the all-day event. First, second and third place winners were announced for each grade level (grades 6, 7, 8 and 9). All winners will have the opportunity to compete at the APEGA Science Olympics being held in Cold Lake on April 22.
1st Place Winners
Grade 6 – Aurora Middle School – Old Man Squad
• Jed Houle Ben Hortaleza
• Keithan Beniuk Landon Courtoreille
• Jamie Seminowich
Grade 7 – Nelson Heights Middle School – Knights of Knowledge
• Aisha McGowan Will White
• Coby Gilles Evan Aessie
• Thomas Pashko
Grade 8 – Kikino School – Contagious Intelligence
• Connor Breton Colleen Sparklingeyes
• Kayla Pruden Alesa LacRocque
• Aiesha Bruno
Grade 9 – J.A. Williams High School – Shaq’s Night Riders
• Blake Kruk Zander Giacobbo
• Dreydan Cardinal Tyler Sprecker
• Jexter Magatas
2nd Place Winners
Grade 6 – H.E. Bourgoin Middle School – Bernoulli’s Lift Kit
• Boady Bellamy Zachary Lapointe
• Molly Reynolds Ethan Spence
• Zackariah Pitcher-Lumley
Grade 7 – Nelson Heights Middle School – Splitting Atoms
• Ella Dole Kashia Simonar
• Keira Hancock Mikayla Babiuk
• Anya Danku
Grade 8 – Art Smith Aviation Academy – ASAA Bolts
• Kailey Berry Kenji Calder
• Jaymee Stratton Kayden McDonagh
• Corinne Smith
Grade 9 – Bonnyville Centralized High School – BCHS Team 4
• Dawson Cumby Christopher Popik
• Rhyse Oliver Luke Willman
• Kaiden Pitcher-Lumley
3rd Place Winners
Grade 6 – Aurora Middle School – SKYence Buddies
• Amber Wilson Avery Kuraitis
• Malaak Smaiel Mya Scoville
• Juliana Durocher
Grade 7 – Aurora Middle School – Cosmic Hippies
• Hailey Carothers Megan Steed
• Ryan Pietsch Jace Houle
• Brody Nowicki
Grade 8 – Aurora Middle School – Tilly 4 da Win
• Evan Lavallee Markus Tremblay
• Jayden Bobocel Julian Jacknife
• Kieran Thompson
Grade 9 – Ecole Plamondon School – The 5 Borons
• Paul Trofimov Nikita Ennest
• Uliniya Martushev Markiann Egoroff
• Efronsinia Ambanoudis