Mountain View School Science Olympiad earns accolades

The Mountain View Science Olympiad team had a banner year for the 2021-2022 competition season. 

The team participated in the virtual Arizona Science Olympiad Winter Invitational on December 4th, 2021.  A team of eight students competed in different events in pairs. Events range from application of knowledge on lab stations or a test to testing student-designed and created devices in a competitive environment. The team earned recognition in  the following events: Anatomy & Physiology, 3rd; Dynamic Planet, 3rd; Food Science, 3rd, and Solar System, 1st. The Anatomy and Physiology event focused on human body systems. Dynamic Planet is about Earth and space science, specifically Earth’s fresh water systems. Food Science had students closely examining the make-up of sugars in our food, including being able to accurately measure the sugar content in food utilizing a student-made hydrometer. The Solar System event took students on a journey through space objects and space missions, allowing them to showcase their knowledge.

The team also competed in the North Central Regional Tournament on February 19, 2022, in a satellite competition which took place virtually from the Mountain View School campus. The team of eight students competed in different events in pairs. Events ranged from application of knowledge on lab stations or a test to testing student-designed and created devices in a competitive environment, with various different goals and objectives depending on the event.  Awards included a fourth place overall team trophy, and awards for the following events: Chiropterology, 2nd; Crimebusters, 2nd; Green Generation, 2nd; Meteorology, 1st; and Sounds of Music, 1st. Chiropterology gave students an opportunity to identify bat species from across North America, utilizing their knowledge of habitats and survival mechanisms. Crimebusters gave students a scenario where they analyzed forensic evidence to solve a crime. The Green Generation event allowed students to demonstrate their understanding of ecological principles, the human impact on our environment, and how we can come up with solutions to reverse trends and sustainability concepts. Participants in the Meteorology event used scientific process skills to understand how factors influence world climate and climate change. During the Sounds of Music event, students played an instrument that they designed and built as well as took a test on the physics of sound and music concepts.  The Mountain View School Science Olympiad Team qualified for the state tournament after competing at the North Central Regional Competition. 

In the culminating event for the competition season, the Arizona Science Olympiad State Tournament was held at the Arizona State University on April 2, 2022. Mountain View placed first in the Crimebusters and Write It, Do It events and earned second place in Ornithology.   unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

Science Olympiad is a National Science, Technology,  Engineering, and Math program that allows students to apply what they know in a competitive setting. Students gain in-depth scientific knowledge that can be used in college and future careers. Science Olympiad functions much like a soccer or football team, requiring preparation, commitment, coaching, and practice throughout the year. It allows students to meet new people and showcase their love of all things STEM by competing against other middle school students from across the state. Mountain View School has participated and competed in Science Olympiad for the past 14 years, coached by Cassie Strahota.