Hundreds of students to compete at Manchester Science Olympiad
The annual Manchester University Science Olympiad Invitational draws hundreds of middle and high school students.
At the Jan. 13 invitational, nearly 20 high school teams and nine middle school teams will bring about 400 students to the North Manchester, Ind., campus. Most teams are from Indiana communities and one is from northwest Ohio.
There will be more than 30 events and competitions, with activities that include forensic cases, chemistry labs with microbe missions, and constructing machines such as mousetrap vehicles and hovercrafts.
“Science Olympiad students are curious, driven, and enthusiastic about learning and creating new things from scratch. They’re exactly the kind of students that we want to see in our classes someday,” said Dr. Kathryn Davis, who teaches chemistry at the University. “We’re proud to host this invitational for them, and we hope that they have a positive experience and a fun competition day.”
The Science Olympiad encourages students to learn in different ways. It also exposes them to Manchester’s close-knit community where faculty inspire students to develop their curiosity.
“I’ve helped out with hosting the Manchester Science Olympiad Invitational since I came here in 2010,” Davis said. “Many years, I also work with the Manchester Junior-Senior High teams after the invitational, helping them to prepare for the competition season.
“Some of those students later turned up in my classroom, which is really fun because they often ask, ‘When’s the invitational? How can I help out this year?’ It’s a great way to bring the University and the local schools together.”
Dozens of Manchester faculty, students and staff donate their time writing events, running events and assisting visiting students during their day on campus.
“We are always excited to welcome so many middle- and high-school students to Manchester,” Davis said. “It’s a great way to show off our campus to the students and their families.”
Manchester University’s invitational is a stepping-stone for regional competitions, where the top teams are selected to compete in the 2018 Science Olympiad National Tournament.
The Science Olympiad is a national organization that has provided premier competition opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) events for more than 30 years. More than 7,800 teams are competing in 2018. For more information, go to www.soinc.org.
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About Manchester University
Manchester University, with campuses in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers more than 60 areas of academic study to nearly 1,600 students in undergraduate programs, a Master of Athletic Training, a Master of Pharmacogenomics and a four-year professional Doctor of Pharmacy. Learn more about the private, northern Indiana school at www.manchester.edu.
January 2018
Middle School B Teams
Kahler Middle School (Dyer)
Manchester Junior/Senior High School (North Manchester, 2 teams)
Northridge Middle School (Middlebury, 2 teams)
R.J. Baskett Middle School (Gas City)
Winamac Middle School (Winamac)
High School C Teams
Avon High School (Avon, 2 teams)
Columbia City High School (Columbia City, 2 teams)
Lincolnview High School (Van Wert, Ohio)
Manchester Junior/Senior High School (North Manchester, 2 teams)
Maconaquah High School (Bunker Hill, 2 teams)
Mount Vernon High School (Fortville, 2 teams)
North Central High School (Indianapolis)
Northridge High School (Middlebury, 3 teams)
Peru High School (Peru)
Riley High School (South Bend, 2 teams)
Warren Central High School (Indianapolis, 2 teams)
Winamac High School (Winamac)
January 2018