Franklin High, Davidson Academy Homeschool capture Regional Science Olympiad titles

Eight teams — four middle schools and four high schools — have received invitations to compete in the State Science Olympiad in April after strong showings at the recent 24th Regional Science Olympiad at MTSU Saturday, Feb. 23.

Tournament Director Pat Patterson, an MTSU chemistry professor, confirmed the official results Feb. 26. The top four finishers in the high school division were Franklin High, Father Ryan of Nashville, Murfreesboro’s Central Magnet and Stewarts Creek in Smyrna, Tennessee.

Rockvale Middle School student Jacob Wheaton pours a liquid into the funnel during the “Potions and Poisons” project he was working on Feb. 23 during the 24th annual Regional Science Olympiad at MTSU. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Rockvale Middle School student Jacob Wheaton pours liquid into a funnel while working on his “Potions and Poisons” project Feb. 23 during the 24th annual Regional Science Olympiad at MTSU. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

For the middle school division, the top four finishers were Davidson County Homeschool in Nashville, St. Rose of Lima in Murfreesboro, Smyrna Middle, and the Dayspring Academy in Greenbrier, Tennessee.

The national organization’s website, www.soinc.org, says Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each of three divisions: high school, middle school and elementary.

More than 400 students competed in the regional tournament at MTSU. Several middle schools and high schools fielded more than one team.

High school events included “Designer Genes,” “Disease Detective,” “Code Busters” and “Sounds of Music.” Middle school events included “Potions and Poisons,” “Dynamic Planet,” “Battery and Buggy” and “Meteorology.”

Rocky Fork Middle School participants Gavin Cardona, left, and Hayden Warner, both sixth-graders, work on their “Potions and Poisons” project as MTSU chemistry professor Paul Klinechecks the scales Feb. 23 during the 24th Regional Science Olympiad in the Science Building at MTSU. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Rocky Fork Middle School sixth-graders Gavin Cardona, left, and Hayden Warner work on their “Potions and Poisons” project as MTSU chemistry professor Paul Kline checks the scales Feb. 23 during the 24th Regional Science Olympiad in the MTSU Science Building. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

The State Science Olympiad will be held Saturday, April 6, at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

The Elementary Science Olympiad will be held in Murfreesboro in April. MTSU will host the 25th annual Regional Science Olympiad in February 2020.

State Farm contributed $3,000 for teams competing in the regional, Patterson said.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Trevor Smith of Page High School in Franklin, Tenn., uses his cell phone to take a photo of the project he and his teammates worked to record data for the “Experimental Design” event at the 24th annual Regional Science Olympiad at MTSU Feb. 23. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Trevor Smith of Page High School in Franklin, Tenn., takes a photo of the project he and his teammates created to record data for the “Experimental Design” event at the 24th annual Regional Science Olympiad at MTSU Feb. 23. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Hanna Fletcher and Kenley Baltz, eighth-graders at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School sport matching T-shirts as they work to record data for their water quality project during the 24th Regional Science Olympiad in the MTSU Science Building. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Hanna Fletcher and Kenley Baltz, eighth-graders at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Murfreesboro, sport matching T-shirts as they record data for their water quality project during the 24th Regional Science Olympiad in the MTSU Science Building. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)