Teeland Middle School takes home Science O gold

WASILLA -- The Teeland Middle School Science Olympiad team has won the state competition for the second year in a row, and many on the state team are now gearing up for the national competition in May.

"As far as coaching is concerned, we are honored to work with these well-prepared kids from our community," said Lura Hegg, who coaches the students with her Teeland colleague Joe Nolting.

Sixty-five students from Teeland competed in the Alaska competition held at Gruening Middle School in Eagle River on April 3. The students competed in science events ranging from Robo Billiards, where a student must build a robot and then have the robot push pool balls into the correct billiard pockets, to the Naked Egg Drop, where students had to figure out a way to pad an uncooked egg so it did not break when dropped. Of the 65 students that participated -- broken into four-and-a-half teams -- 17 will be continuing on to the national competition held at Juniata College in Pennsylvania. The national team will compete with around 1,500 students from across the nation. Last year Teeland placed 45th out of 55 teams, this year the coaches' goal is to place a bit higher.

"We are hoping to creep more toward the middle of the pack," Hegg said.

But the students who are readying for the national championship are shooting for a much higher goal.

"We are going to win," said a seemingly confident Tellerman Kroon, a seventh-grader who took third place in the meteorology competition at the state level. When asked why, his answer was simple: "Because we have hope."

But it takes much more than hope to win either the national or state Science Olympiad. Students began working on their projects and studying on their competition subjects in mid-September. The students worked with many teachers and volunteers to get ready for the event.

"There were many community professionals that came and worked with the kids," Hegg said. "It helped them so much."

This was the third year that Teeland has entered the competition -- the school opened only three years ago -- and some students chalked up their recent win to really having a grasp of what happens at the competition, both at the state and national levels.

"We have a lot of people returning to nationals so this year we really know what we are doing," said Katie Wieliczkiewicz, an eighth-grader who was so busy during the state competition the only food she consumed the entire day was an obnoxious amount of apples eaten on the run, she said.

The Science Olympiad is a nonprofit organization that holds annual rigorous science tournaments in each of the 50 states. Those students who take the top eight spots in each event score points for the school; the school with the highest points wins the competition.

"Most of our students were able to score points," Hegg said. Regarding the student's winning strategy, Hegg said that it is just a matter of putting the right student in the right competition. "Part of our winning strategy is maximizing the students' time and talent at the competition," Hegg said.

Her students agreed, adding in a few strategies of their own.

"Basically, it's team work," said eighth-grader Tim Jaronik. Teeland will be traveling to the national tournament May 18-25. There will be four days of competition and several days of fun and cultural travel. The students and parents are responsible for raising funds for the trip. Last year every student from Teeland who won a national slot was able to attend the competition. Along with financial donations, the students are looking for Alaska souvenirs to bring to trade with other students at the tournament's "swap meet." Those interested in donating souvenirs should donate in sets of 18 -- for the 17 student competitors and the one alternate. As for the science part of getting ready, the students said they are studying hard to hone their skills.

"I just hope we do well, it will be a fun trip and we get to miss a week of school," said seventh-grader Collin Murphy.

Contact Jen Ransom at jen.ransom@frontiersman.com.