Helicopters, Mouse-Trap Powered Vehicles Designed At Olympiad

POTSDAM - High school students from across the region brought what they had learned throughout the year Saturday to Clarkson University to compete in a Science Olympiad that included designing helicopters and vehicles powered by a mousetrap.

"It recognizes student achievement in math and science in a way different from a test," said regional coordinator Michael W. Ramsdell, a Clarkson physics professor. "It can inspire them. The preparation for the events also prepares them academically."

In a different part of campus, 32 middle school pupils competed in MATHCOUNTS, the local leg of a national competition in algebra and geometry that asked them to solve problems and think critically.

Organizers of both events lamented the smaller number of participants than in years past. The Science Olympiad attracted 13 teams compared to previous years when there have been close to 20.

Only four teams from Brasher Falls, Norwood-Norfolk, Potsdam and Hermon-DeKalb central schools participated in the math challenge compared to at least twice that number in previous years.

Registration for schools was previously paid by a grant that ran out and the poor economy apparently curtailed participation at a time when President Barack Obama's State of the Union address stressed the importance of science and technology.

"There's a national need for kids who are good in math and science," said Peter R. Turner, one of the coordinators of the math competition.

The children are the ones who suffer, fellow coordinator Katie R. Fowler said.

"There are kids who did it in sixth and seventh grade and now they're not able to do it," she said.

Participating school districts in the Olympiad were Canton, Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Norwood-Norfolk, Madrid-Waddington, Carthage, Thousand Island, Chateaugay and Plattsburgh.

The trip was worthwhile for those able to participate in the two competitions.

Jacob S. Baldwin, Clayton, in his fourth year of competing in the Olympiad helped his team build a tower designed to stand as more weight was added. "I just enjoy the challenge of building stuff," he said. For some, the events put meaning into their book work.

"You get to apply things in real life that you have learned in the classroom," said Ethan A. Miller, Clayton.

This was the first year in the Olympiad for Maricel H. Kitts, a 12th grader from Canton Central School planning to attend pharmacy school next year.

One of her challenges was microbe mission, where she identified the parts of a microscope and had her knowledge of viruses and bacteria tested.

"I was convinced to do it because math and science are my strongest subjects," she said. "I was also advised it was fun. This is actually not bad."