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Wednesday, February 27, 2013 • Whidbey News-Times
Olympians showcase their science know-how Community event tonight features student experiments By Nathan Whalen Staff Reporter
Nathan Whalen/Whidbey News-Times
Briess Potter and Kelsey Pape, members of the Coupeville High School Science Olympiad, fine tune their vehicle they want to use in the “Gravity Vehicle” competition during the regional competition.
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A small group of student scientists at Coupeville High School are spending their spare time preparing for a regional science competition. The students, members of Coupeville’s Science Olympiad, are busy rebuilding vehicles, tweaking experiments, and memorizing equations to perform better in an upcoming regional competition scheduled in March. Before that, however, residents and parents can see their projects and experiments during a community night scheduled 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Feb. 27, at the Coupeville Middle School and High School Commons. Coupeville High School science teacher Dan d’Almeida said Science Olympiad offers a variety of activities that are “in-line with what’s going on in society.” The competition provides a “higher opportunity” for students interested in science and engineering, d’Almeida said. Science Olympiad helps
students refine their skills a recent visit fine tuning their Maglev project where a tiny before going on to college. Eighteen students compete vehicle levitates over a track in Science Olympiad and they and is powered by fans. Junior Brandon Kelly is are updating their projects after competing in an invita- using yak hair for a thermotional that was held recently dynamics project to control at Aviation High School in the temperature of water. Several students – Manuel Des Moines. They placed Lopez-Santillana, Jared 10th out of 22 teams. Dickson and Students Ben Haigt Kelsey Pape – were also and Briess “I did it last year and busy getting Potter are I spent so much time tutored by tackling a on it. As a senior, it volunteer gravity projJohn Burks ect, which would be so cool to on equilibrientails buildwin it.” um constants ing a vehicle Briess Potter, and periodic that rolls Coupeville High School senior constants so down a nearto prepare vertical ramp for an event and then has to stop within a specified spot. at the Olympiad. Dickson They are rebuilding their and Haigt also had their machines after their sixth- boomilever, which is one of place performance at the invi- the 23 events in the Science Olympiad, close by and they tational. “I did it last year and I spent were thinking of ways to so much time on it,” Potter improve their design. Burks said the concepts are said. “As a senior, it would be ones that would be covered in so cool to win it.” Pape and Potter were busy a first-year chemistry class. d’Almeida highlighted the installing roller blade wheels to their vehicle in hopes of community volunteers who improving their performance. help the contestants every The wheels had rubber bands year. He mentioned that some wrapped around them for fric- of the experts that give their time work in county offices. tion. For more information Sophomore Geoff McClarin and freshman Dawson about Science Olympiad, go d’Almeida were busy during to www.scoinc.org.
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