SUNY New Paltz to Host State Science Olympiad

NEW PALTZ — The State University of New York at New Paltz will host 34 middle schools and a number of parents and guests at the 2001 New York State Science Olympiad on Saturday, April 28. The day consists of inter-school competition in more than 20 areas of scientific and technological skills.

“This is students and kids getting excited about doing science,” says John Harrington, dean of the SUNY New Paltz School of Physical Science & Engineering. “Middle school and the early years are important because it’s a very formative time when students develop their outlook on what science and engineering are all about.”

The students participating in this exciting event have already won competitions on a regional level and are now competing on a state level. Winners will then go on to a national competition.

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. The Olympiad, created in 1983, has grown to include all 50 states, totaling more than 13,500 actively-participating K-12 schools.

The Science Olympiad tournaments are rigorous academic interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of individual and team events. The competitions follow the format of popular board games, TV shows and athletic games. Events have been designed to recognize the wide variety of skills that students possess and emphasize advanced learning in science through active, hands-on, group participation – intended to remind students that science can be fun and challenging.

This event is organized by the New York State Science Olympiad and is supported by the SUNY New Paltz Center for Continuing & Professional Education, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the School of Physical Science and Engineering.

A Science Olympiad information center will be located in the lobby of the Lecture Center to assist news media and other visitors. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Science Olympiad Events Open to Media Coverage

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Battery Buggy, Elting Gym
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Bottle Rocket, Field E, behind tennis courts near Elting Gym
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Bridge Building, Coykendall Science Building Room 17
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Egg Drop, Fine Arts II Lobby
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Wright Stuff, Elting Gym
4:30 p.m. Awards Ceremony, Elting Gym

Participating schools include:

Amherst Middle School, Snyder
Ardsley Middle School, Ardsley
Brother J. Fox Latin School, Uniondale
C.J. Hooker Middle School, Goshen
Dyker Heights Intermediate School, Brooklyn
Eagle Hill Middle School, Manlius
Great Neck North Middle School, Greatneck
H.C. Crittenden Middle School, Armonk
Heim Middle School, Williamsville
Hicksville Middle School, Hicksville
Highland Middle School, Highland
Howard Goff Middle School, East Greenbush
Island Trees Middle School, Levittown
Islip Middle School, Islip
Louis Pasteur Middle School, Littleneck
Maine-Endwell Middle School, Endwell
Marlboro Middle School, Marlboro
Museum Middle School, Yonkers
Nyack Middle School, Nyack
Onondaga Hill Middle School, Syracuse
Paul Gelinas Middle School, Setauket
Richard O’Rourke Middle School, Burnt Hills
Richard Stank Junior High School, Conklin
Robert C. Murphy Middle School, Stoney Brook
Roxboro Middle School, Mattydale
Roxbury Middle School, Roxbury
Scotia Glenville Middle School, Scotia
Simon Baruch Middle School, New York
Smithtown Middle School, St. James
R.J. Thomas Middle School, Webster
Thomas Armstrong Middle School, Ontario Center
C.P. Weber Middle School, Port Washinton
Wellwood Middle School, Fayetteville
West Middle School, Binghamton