The Idaho State University Department of Physics will host a regional Science Olympiad on the ISU campus on Feb. 17. Sixth- through ninth-grade students from all over eastern Idaho will represent their schools and communities and compete in teams in a variety of science competitions.

Winning teams will receive award plaques and prizes courtesy of Subway, Jamba Juice, Arctic Circle, Taco Time of Pocatello, and Great American Video of Pocatello.

Winning teams will be encouraged to compete in the state competition in Nampa on March 3. The Idaho champion team will go on to compete in the National Science Olympiad at Indiana University in May.

The Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers.

At least a dozen teams from Eagle Rock Jr. High, Franklin Middle School, Irving Middle School, and North Gem School will be competing. There is still room for more teams.

Dr. Steve Shropshire of the ISU Department of Physics, and ISU students from the departments of Geosciences and Physics, and from the College of Engineering will serve as judges, along with several scientists and engineers from the Idaho National Laboratory and AMI Semiconductor. Students will compete with balloon-launched gliders, catapults, race cars, and several other fun science events.

More information on the Science Olympiad program is available at www.soinc.org. For more information on the ISU Science Olympiad, or how to register a team, contact Shropshire at shropshi@physics.isu.edu, or 282-2212.

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