High school students from across the state came to ̽̽ campus to compete in the 2023 Vermont Science Olympiad on Saturday April 1st. The tournament included 65 students competing in 16 different events across a variety of academic disciplines over a full day in the beautiful labs and classroom spaces of Discovery Hall and Innovation Hall.
“We’re having a blast today,” said Essex High School student Emmy Stapleton, who competed in the anatomy and bridge events, among others. "I think it's a lot of fun. Just branch out and try all kinds of different things. There are so many different events, and you also get to look at the college. It’s a cool opportunity to meet other people and see the school and everything.”
Participating high school teams included Burr and Burton Academy, Essex High School, Peoples Academy, Randolph Union High School/Randolph Technical Career Center, St. Johnsbury Academy, and Williamstown High School.
The St. Johnsbury Academy Hilltoppers took first place in the overall team results this year, followed by Burr and Burr Academy in second place and People’s Academy 1 in third place. Teams from all six schools took home medals in various individual events of the tournament.
“I grabbed a dozen people who I knew liked science from around the halls, and we created a Science Olympiad team,” said Burr and Burton junior Isaac Vernon. “This event helps you get a good handle on a lot of the topics in STEM that schools don't cover. I usually do the remote sensing since I'm interested in the aerospace field. Even high school students who might not be so invested in science still get a good grasp of how the scientific process works. The engineering of prototyping and iteration is something you get a lot in the build. And it also helps to get an insight into what college students are doing in the field.”
̽̽ 4-H Teen and Leadership Specialist Lauren Traister says Science Olympiad creates a pathway for youth to gain knowledge and skills on a variety of STEM topics. “This year we expanded on that to include Science Sparks presenters during the tournament day to connect participants to the STEM work occurring here at ̽̽,” said Traister, who serves as the lead in organizing the event. “I was profoundly grateful that graduate students and faculty across a variety of disciplines volunteered to share their work, show off their labs, and answer questions. Many participants came away from these talks with new energy and excitement for a particular topic and that was amazing to see.”
Vermont’s Science Olympiad is co-hosted by ̽̽ Extension 4-H Youth Programs and the College of Education and Social Services (CESS). Students, faculty, and staff from the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS), the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR), and the Larner College of Medicine (LCOM) support the event in a variety of essential roles. A generous gift from Generac Power Systems also provided support for this year’s tournament.
̽̽ began hosting the annual the event in 2019. While more schools were added to the roster of participants in this year’s competition, State Tournament Director Leon Walls anticipates continued growth with more schools across Vermont getting involved in the years ahead. As an associate professor in the Department of Education who focuses on equity in science education, Walls is excited about the cross-disciplinary nature of the event. Students, faculty, and staff from academic units across the university coordinate the competition and serve as judges, scorekeepers, presenters, and ambassadors.
By combining events from a variety of disciplines, Science Olympiad encourages a wide cross-section of students to get involved. Participating students are supported by their high school teachers and coaches as well as the ̽̽ team coordinating the competition. Students competed in the following events throughout the day:
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Astronomy
- Bridge
- Cell Biology
- Codebusters
- Disease Detectives
- Dynamic Planet
- Environmental Chemistry
- Experimental Design
- Forensics
- Forestry
- Green Generation
- Remote Sensing
- Scrambler
- Trajectory
- Write It, Do It
“One of 4-H's main areas of focus is science, and we already have a wealth of programming in this area,” Traister said. “In addition to Science Olympiad, we offer a variety of programs that engage youth in animal sciences, robotics, coding, natural resources, engineering and much more. We also host monthly teen science cafes and offer Summer of Science workshops.”
is a nationwide program that aims to boost K-12 student and teacher participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through exciting tournaments in states throughout the country. Functioning much like a team sport requiring preparation, commitment, coaching and practice, students cross-train for a variety of events requiring different skill sets. Students, educators, and community mentors work together toward a shared goal.
Participating students gain a glimpse into the future and find opportunities for mentoring as they explore pathways to apprenticeships, college and careers options. More than three in four female students interested in STEM who have a mentor feel they will be successful pursuing a STEM career.
Photos provided by by Erica Houskeeper and Doug Gilman.
