Cal U. hosts event that keeps the fun in science
Montour High School 11th-grader Hunter Smutney and 10th-grader Luke Cavanah prepare their entry in the scrambler event. For the scrambler competition, students created a small contraption that had to travel a short distance without running into a wall and cracking the egg it carried.
McGuffey sixth-grade students Rocco Falosk and Nate Witkowski watch as their rocket launches into the air at the Science Olympiad competition held at California University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday. The launches were scored on the amount of time the rocket was airborne. Falosk and Witkowski’s came in at 5.66 seconds.
McGuffey sixth-grade student Nate Witkowski holds the bottle rocket as classmate Rocco Falosk partially fills it with water before launch time. The air trajectory event was one of 23 science-based events in the Science Olympiad.
CALIFORNIA – McGuffey sixth-grade students Nate Witkowski and Rocco Falosk waited for the countdown, pulled the rope and watched their carefully crafted bottle rocket launch high in the sky amidst a campus full of college students headed to class. Witkowski and Falosk cheered as the seconds ticked by while their rocket was airborne. For the duo, the science-based competition Wednesday at California University of Pennsylvania was a welcome break from their regular classes.
“It’s definitely better than going to school,” Witkowski said. “It’s a great way to relax and a great way to combine fun and science.”
More than 700 middle and high school students from Southwestern Pennsylvania competed in the Science Olympiad, a competition of varying events based around the sciences. Twenty-eight high schools and 20 middle schools sent students to compete in 23 different events. The top four schools in two age groups will advance to the state competition at Juniata College April 25.
Events included bridge building, forensics, chemistry lab and air trajectory. Cal U. students and staff manned the event, keeping scores and times. Cal U. senior technology education student Daniel Hart assisted with the bottle rocket launches.
“I think it’s a great event,” Hart said. “It gives them a great avenue to explore new and exciting things in science and technology.” Hart stressed the importance of keeping interest in science programs alive to encourage younger students to pursue science-based careers.
“I’ve developed a passion for teaching and education, and it’s great to see kids having fun and learning,” Hart said.
Witkowski and Falosk smiled as they ran after their rocket, named the Rocket of Awesomeness, after it landed. The timekeeper yelled out “5.66 seconds,” and the boys grinned.
Witkowski said, “I wasn’t a big fan of science before, but this has made me a fan.”