Local Middle School Wins New York State Science Olympiad for Second Year in a Row

NEW PALTZ — C. J. Hooker Middle School (Goshen) finished first out of 34 middle and junior high schools statewide that competed in the B Division New York State Science Olympiad, held at SUNY New Paltz on April 28. At the Olympiad, 510 students competed in 23 events involving biology, earth science, chemistry, physics and technology.

The Science Olympiad is an international, nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers.

Olympiad tournaments, held at regional, state and national levels, are rigorous academic, interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of individual and team events for which students prepare throughout the school year.

C. J. Hooker Middle School holds an impressive record for state wins, having placed second both in 1997 and 1998, fourth in 1999, and first in 2000 and 2001.

The dean of SUNY New Paltz’s School of Physical Sciences & Engineering, John Harrington, presided at an awards ceremony on the campus immediately following the competition. The top two winning schools were each presented with a $1,000 prize granted by the Louis & Mildred Resnick Foundation. This will help defray the expenses C. J. Hooker Middle School and Maine-Endwell Middle School, the second place team, will incur traveling to the National Science Olympiad in Colorado Springs in May.

The State Olympiad, hosted for the fourth year at SUNY New Paltz, was supported by the Office of Engineering Programs and the Office of Continuing & Professional Education.

Other local schools which took part in the competition include Highland Junior High School and Marlboro Middle School. Highland Junior High School, which placed seventh in the Olympiad, placed first in a competition titled “sound of music,” in which the students created musical instruments from unusual objects and materials. Marlboro Middle School placed first in the “egg drop.”

For further information, please contact Caroline Murphy at the Office of Continuing & Professional Education at (845) 257-2902.