Sixth Annual Emerson School Science Olympiad Explores Fun Side of Science

Submitted by Science Olympiad. All photos courtesy of Mike Kozuchowski.

Emerson Elementary School students, parents, teachers, and local professionals joined together on Tuesday, March 10th, from 6:00–8:00 p.m., to host the Annual Emerson School Science Olympiad Fun Night. Parents and professionals from the community with a variety of backgrounds (Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Construction, Environmental Science, Chemistry, and more), as well as representatives from Elmhurst College, Lake View Nature Center, and the Elmhurst Police Department, engaged students in exciting and educational experiments ranging from Animal Trackers to Alka Rockets to Crime Scene.

Over 290 students (58% of the student population) from every grade level participated in original, hands-on science activities designed to foster a sense of discovery and introduce new and exciting science concepts. Between acting as parent guides and supervising events, more than 125 Emerson parents and staff members attended the Science Olympiad, including Principal Beth Gregor.

Students attended the Emerson School Science Olympiad free of charge, and each three-to five-person team created their own science-inspired team name and poster, which were displayed at the school and voted on by Emerson teachers/staff. Winning teams included the Smarty Pants (1st grade), the Awesome Rocketeers (3rd grade), and the SuperNerds (5th This year, the Emerson School welcomed several area professionals to Science Olympiad. Liane Knight, Manager of the Lake View Nature Center in Oak Brook Terrace, led the Animal Trackers experiment with Kindergarten and first-grade students.

The experiment challenged kids to look for and find “calling cards” (signs that animals leave in nature like footprints, feces, burrows, bones from meals, and fur) and “read” them to identify and distinguish them from each other.

First-time Emerson Science Olympiad presenter, Officer Matt McCollum from the Elmhurst Police Department, taught fourth- and fifth-grade students how to use forensic principles (fingerprints, shoe prints, chemical analysis) and the power of observation to solve the The Case of the Missing Cookie Dough.

And Dr. Michelle Applebee, Associate Chemistry Professor from Elmhurst College, along with four Elmhurst College Chemistry students, helped fourth- and fifth-grade students learn how to use the scientific method and household ingredients to make their own bouncy balls in the Bouncing with Chemistry experiment.

Science Olympiad is an international non-profit organization founded in 1984 and dedicated to enhancing K- 12 science education. Currently, more than 16,000 schools participate in elementary, middle school, and high school Science Olympiad tournaments, garnering awards, scholarships, travel opportunities, and community-wide recognition for students interested in science.

Photo 1: Megan A., second grade, waits in anticipation to see if she made her mark after launching a projectile in the ‘Angry Birds’ experiment

Photo 2: Katelyn W. gets her fingerprint taken in the ‘Crime Scene’ experiment

Photo 3: Cole F. & Ryan S., third grade, wait to see if their projectile is on target in the ‘Angry Birds’ experiment which teaches students about the principles of weight, mass, trajectory, force, and gravity

Photo 4: Evangeline M. listens for her pulse while exploring human anatomy in ‘A is for Anatomy’

Photo 5: Olivia W. and Erin G., second grade, learning about chemical reactions and Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion, wait in anticipation for the ‘launch’ of their Alka-Seltzer rocket in the ‘Alka-Rockets’ experiment

Photos 6, 7: Emerson students show off their team colors at Emerson School’s 6th Annual Science Olympiad Fun Night