Mr. Jim Strickland, Redeemer Episcopal Academy’s Science Instructor and coach for the Science Olympiad team, judges the different vessels created by students as part of a recent ‘Barge Building’ project. Redeemer’s team plans to compete in the national Science Olympiad competition later this spring.

EATONTON – (February 1, 2011) – Over the past few weeks, budding scientists at Redeemer Episcopal Academy have been taking part in various hands-on science experiments with the goal of bringing home a gold medal this spring.

Students in third through fifth grade have tested their abilities to construct the most stable and strongest tower during a “Mystery Architecture” project, build the last boat floating in the “Barge Building” project, and communicate the most comprehensible written instructions in the “Write It/Do It” project.

These exercises are designed to help Redeemer students train for an upcoming Science Olympiad, one of the premier science competitions in the nation which provides rigorous challenges to nearly 6,000 teams in 50 states.

The National Science Olympiad Committee is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 science education, increasing male, female, and minority interest in science, creating a technologically-literate workforce and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers.

This is the first year REA students have participated in any Science Olympiad events.  They will continue to compete among themselves in order to prepare for future competition against other schools and to attend the state competition in the spring.   

“As Redeemer moves into Middle Grades education this year, it’s important to become actively involved in science competitions that will strengthen our curriculum and foster a deep interest in science,” said Jim Strickland, Redeemer’s Science instructor and Science Olympiad coach. “The Science Olympiad is a great program that is both fun and challenging for our students.”