Members of New Richmond’s Middle School’s regional champion Science Olympiad team were (Back row from left): coach Doug Smiddy, Luke Smiddy,coach Tina Grippa, Evan Grippa, coach Josh Grischow, Stile Sweet, Eric Williams, Jade Kunz, Marie Bezold; (middle row from left): Kaylin Hoffman, Rachel Coons, Alicia Bailey, Adrianna Flood, Alex Garnder, Joe Maxwell, Teddy Mansfield, Lindsey Williams, TIm Hammer, Jenny Roberts, coach Pam Hughes; (front row from left): Carter Light, Katie Schlaak, Joey Hammill, Daniel Weiskittel, Audrey Feiler, Kaeley Fagan, Caitlyn Grooms, Anna Heiden and Cydney Stiles. Not pictured: Alex Grooms and Josh Clancy.The New Richmond Middle School Science Olympiad team is going back to the state finals at Ohio State University in April, this time as champions of the Cincinnati Regional Science Olympiad held March 3 at UC Blue Ash College on March 3, 2012.
In defeating teams from Loveland, Wyoming, Ross, Twin Valley and Kings and six private schools including Summit Country Day, the NRMS team won six of the 23 events and finished in the top five in 11 other events. The second NRMS team made up of 7th grade students finished 9th with a first place in one event and top five finishes in six other events.
“When we started the Science Olympiad team in 2009 we had to beg students to be on the team and we ended up finishing 10th at Regionals,” noted head coach Josh Grischow. “In 2010 we earned a trophy for finishing in 6th place. In 2011 we used our allowed five 9th graders for the first time to great results, finishing in 3rd place and qualifying for state. This year, we brought two teams and practiced more than any year before. The results speak for themselves.“
Science Olympiad teams compete individually or in groups in a series of 23 events which test their knowledge of science skills, processes, and applications in a wide range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, technology, earth science, and mathematics.
“We had high expectations for our 8th/9th grade team,” said Grischow. “We brought back five of our best students from last year's team who are now freshmen. Their leadership and work ethic were great examples for our younger students.”
The 9th grade MVP was Audrey Feiler, who won two 1st place and one 2nd place medals. The 8th grade MVP was Evan Grippa, who won two 1st place medals.
Grischow was a little concerned about his 7th graders after giving them only a month notice that they would be competing in the tournament.
“But every 7th grader earned at least one medal,” noted Grischow. "We are confident that this experience will pay off next year.”
Luke Smdidy and Kaeley Fagan, the only 7th graders to each earn two top-2 place medals, were named the co-MVPs on the 7th grade team. Daniel Weiskittel and Joey Hammill were the only 7th graders to win a 1st place medal.
“It's gratifying to see our hard work pay off, as our students have been building, studying, and practicing multiple times per week for months,” said Grischow. “Our students are also very involved in other activities like the school musical, sports, and Future Cities, so to see them balance their commitments and still come out on top is amazing.”
The state finals will be held April 28 at The Ohio State University in Columbus, where 40 middle school and 40 senior high school teams will compete. The winner in each division will compete in the National Science Olympiad Tournament which will be held at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida on May 18-19, 2012.
The Ohio Science Olympiad is an academic, interscholastic competition designed to increase student interest in science and to improve the quality of science education. It has grown from just 23 teams competing in state competition in 1985 to 269 teams competing in eight regional tournaments in 2011. Nationally, over 350,000 students are involved in the Science Olympiad program. In Ohio, the program is sponsored by The Ohio State University, the Ohio Department of Education, and the Science Education Council of Ohio.
The 8th/9th grade team included Alex Grooms, Eric Williams, Jenny Roberts, Audrey Feiler, Marie Bezold, Tim Hammer, Stile Sweet, Adrianna Flood, Evan Grippa, Cydney Stiles, Carter Light, Alicia Bailey, Joe Maxwell, Jade Kunz, Lindsey Williams
The 7th grade team consisted of Daniel Weiskittel, Joey Hammill, Josh Clancy, Alex Gardner, Teddy Mansfield, Luke Smiddy, Kaylin Hoffman, Rachel Coons, Katie Schlaak, Caitlyn Grooms, Anna Heiden and Kaeley Fagan.
They were coached by Grischow and NRMS science teachersTina Grippa, Pam Hughes, and Doug Smiddy.
Medal winners (both teams):
Placing 1st in Anatomy were Evan Grippa and Jenny Roberts
Placing 1st in Experimental Design were Audrey Feiler, Jenny Roberts, and Marie Bezold
Placing 1st in Disease Detectives were Audrey Feiler and Marie Bezold
Placing 1st in Bottle Rockets were Evan Grippa and Carter Light
Placing 1st in Dynamic Planet were Joey Hammill and Daniel Weiskittel
Placing 1st in Optics were Jade Kunz and Joe Maxwell
Placing 1st in Rocks and Minerals were Cydney Stiles and Lindsey Williams
Placing 2nd in Crime Busters were Tim Hammer and Carter Light
Placing 2nd in Optics were Kaeley Fagan and Luke Smiddy
Placing 2nd in Reach for the Stars was Stile Sweet
Placing 2nd in Rocks and Minerals were Kaylin Hoffman and Katie Schlaak
Placing 2nd in Write It, Do It were Kaeley Fagan and Luke Smiddy
