Tennessee American Water partnered with the Marion County Department of Education and Chattanooga State Community College to launch the inaugural Elementary Science Olympiad. The Marion County event is modeled after the one in Hamilton County.
The Elementary Science Olympiad took place Wednesday for both counties at their respective Chattanooga State campuses.
The Olympiad began in 2006 as a partnership between Chattanooga State, Hamilton County Department of Education and Tennessee American Water to spark an interest in the sciences at an early age.
“We are excited to expand this event to students into neighboring Marion County,” said Tennessee American Water engineering manager Kurt Stafford. “We are committed to supporting student STEM programs because the jobs of the future – in our company and in the communities, we serve – depend on a workforce proficient in math and science.”
“We hope that these students continue their love of science into their futures as they consider career choices,” said David Stanislawski, professor emeritus of Chattanooga State and Tennessee director for the national Science Olympiad. “Immersing these minds in real-world, competitive challenges can expose them to career opportunities they may not have considered otherwise. And let’s face it, the Olympiad is a fun way to get children excited about STEM.”
After weeks of preparation led by their teacher coaches, over 25 students from Whitwell, Jasper and Monteagle elementary schools participated at the inaugural event. Now in its 13th year, the Hamilton County Elementary Science Olympiad attracts over 600 elementary students. The third through fifth graders build machines like rockets and catapults and study various sciences to compete in 12 different events. Examples of competitions include 3-2-1 Blastoff, Marshmallow Catapult, and Chopper Challenge.