New Mexico's Top "Intelletes" Vie for Science Olympiad Gold

by George Zamora

SOCORRO, N.M., February 21, 2005 – More than 800 student “intelletes” representing 25 middle schools and 25 high schools from throughout the state will tax their scientific knowledge — as well as their motor skills — in 45 spirited academic contests at the 19th Annual New Mexico Science Olympiad on Saturday, February 26, on the New Mexico Tech campus.

Teams of Science Olympians will drop raw eggs from tall buildings, launch rockets propelled by compressed air and water, build Rube Goldberg contraptions, and construct efficient boomilevers, bridges, and robots in a quest for Olympic-style medals. The two top teams, as determined by the competition, will go on to represent New Mexico at the National Science Olympiad, which will be held on May 20-21, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois.

Science Olympiad is a nationwide program that uses tournament competition as a means to challenge and motivate science students in their academic pursuits. The competition requires teamwork, cooperation, planning, and months of practice, providing students with a working knowledge of facts, concepts, and processes, as well as helping them develop thinking skills through practical applications of science and engineering.

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