Welcome to our June 2024 ESC Credit Recovery and Enrichment Summer Camp

CAMP LOGISTICS:

Our camp runs the entire month of June 2024, starting June 3rd through June 28th, Monday – Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The camp is located at the Education Service Center at 424 E Mound Street, Circleville, OH 43113. LIMITED SPOTS! NO FEES! GRANT-FUNDED OPPORTUNITY, click here to register, the deadline has been extended to May 25, 2024.

*If transportation is a barrier, the program has provided funds for the school district’s transportation department to assist, but arrangements must be made with transportation departments directly prior to June 1, 2024.

CREDIT RECOVERY:

Our camp provides targeted academic support for students who need to recover credits or improve their grades. Our experienced instructors tailor lessons to individual needs, focusing on key concepts and providing personalized assistance to ensure mastery. Whether you’re struggling with math, science, language arts, or any other subject, our comprehensive program will help you get back on track and regain confidence in your academic abilities.

SUMMER ENRICHMENT:

In addition to credit recovery, our camp offers a wide range of enrichment opportunities to spark curiosity and foster a love of learning. From STEM workshops, and creative sewing classes, to 3D modeling/printing, coding connected rovers, financial literacy, and electrical circuits and LED displays, there’s something for everyone to explore. Our engaging activities encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity, empowering students to discover new interests and talents beyond the classroom.

RISE-UP CUSTOMER SERVICE & RETAIL INDUSTRY FUNDAMENTALS CREDENTIALS:

The NRF Foundation’s RISE Up introductory course – Retail Industry Fundamentals – is perfect for students wanting to develop workplace readiness skills and looking for a first job. Students will develop basic customer service and math skills to conduct sales transactions. Students will build an understanding of the retail industry, its impact on the economy, and the diverse jobs available. They will learn best practices for interviewing and exploring career paths.

READY TO GET STARTED?

Don’t let the summer slip away without making the most of it! SPOTS ARE LIMITED, CLICK HERE ENROLL TODAY! We offer three tracks depending on your interests: 1) Credit Recover + Enrichment Combined Programming; 2) Enrichment Only Programming; or 3) RISE-UP Retail Industry Fundamentals Credential Program.

CONTACT US:

To learn more about our programs, schedule, and enrollment process, contact either Nicole Bell, 21st Century Partner Program Director, nicole.bell@pickawayesc.org, 740-474-7529, www.pickawayesc.org/ or Meghan Thoreau, OSU Extension Educator, thoreau.1@osu.edu, 740-474-7534. We can’t wait to welcome you to our summer camp community!

PROGRAM PARTNERS:

Educational Service Center, Pickaway County | 21st Century Partner Program | OSU Extension, Pickaway County | Texas Instruments | OSU Electrical & Computer Engineering Department | NRF Foundation RISE UP | Guest Educators from Logan Elm & Teays Valley Local School Districts.

Student Survey Results: Pickaway County, Class of 2024

Prepared by Meghan Thoreau, OSU Extension Educator

This winter 261 student surveys were collected from all four Pickaway County School Districts (Circleville City School District, Logan Elm Local School District Teays Valley Local School District, and Westfall Local School District); refer to Graph 1. Approximately 15 questions were asked related to students’ work experience, wages, driver’s license status, current knowledge of education and training requirements for a chosen career path, and post-educational plans students were considering after high school.

Driver’s License and Part-time Employment

Of the total student respondents, 61% of students had a driver’s license and 39% had a part-time job; refer to graph 2 and graph 3.

Of the students with part-time employment, 53% also had a driver’s license, while 28% had a part-time job but not a driver’s license. Effectively, students with a driver’s license were 25% more likely to also have a part-time job; refer to graph 4.

Additional feedback was gathered from students who did not have a driver’s license, as to the reasons. The responses were grouped into 10 categories. The top three reasons are no time (36%), in process, In-Cars (21%), or no money (10%); refer to graph 5.

Part-time Employment and Wages

Of the students who reported having a part-time job, 96% provided their employer’s name, and 87% provided both their employer’s name and wage rate. The employers were grouped into 13 different job sectors for analysis; refer to Graph 8. Part-time wages reported ranged from $5 to $17 per hour. The top three wage rates paid were $12, $10, and $15 per hour, respectively; reference Graph 6.

A further breakdown of wage rates found that 20% of students were paid below the minimum wage of $10.10, 52% of students were paid above the minimum wage, and 28% paid $15 per hour or above; reference graph 7. Employers reported by students paying $15 or more were McDonald’s, Starbucks, Sheetz, Bob Evans, Kroger, Speedy Mufflerman, Moo Moo Express Car Wash, Wyngate, Walmart, and Angel Lighting.

The food service sector was the most popular employment sector for students to find part-time work. These employers ranged from McDonald’s, Goodwins, Starbucks, KFC, Dairy Shed, Joyhouse Coffee, Burger King, Watt Street, Jimmy Johns, Sheetz, Bob Evans, City BBQ, Dairy Queen, Olive Garden, Arby’s, and Longhorn. The supermarkets and convenience stores, retail, and recreation sectors were other top sectors for part-time employment opportunities. These employers ranged from Sutherlands, Circleville Nutrition, Rural King, Kroger, Pettit’s, YMCA, Pinnacle Golf Club, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Walmart; refer to Graph 8. A few higher-paying outliers worth mentioning came from the automotive, electrical & lighting, retail, and senior living managed care sectors; refer to graph 8.

Career and Education Knowledge

More than 90% of students felt they had identified a chosen career path, but only 72% of students reported that they knew the education and training required for their chosen careers. That left approximately 25% of students who did not know what educational and training path to pursue or what the employment outlook was for their chosen career; refer to graph 9.

Post High School Plans

When students were asked about plans after high school, 50% of students reported they wanted to attend a 4-year college or university. However, the next largest grouping of students, 23%, were still undecided; refer to Graph 10.

If successful, 22% of the students seeking education and/or training after graduation will be the first in their families to complete a higher level of education above a high school diploma; refer to Graph 11.

Strategic Next Step Questions

The student survey results provided a baseline for next steps. Pickaway WORKS is already planning to follow up with students and student ambassadors for a deeper dive into three areas of interest: student driver’s licensing, part-time student employment, and post-secondary education and career pathway programming.

  1. How can Pickaway WORKS remove barriers for students interested in getting their driver’s license? Are there programs or partnerships that could be developed to help students with limited time get their driver’s licenses? Is there a way to decrease the wait time for In-Cars driving practice? Are there scholarship or grant opportunities that can fund students with financial hardships?
  2. How can Pickaway WORKS support students more in balancing school and part-time employment opportunities? Can Pickaway WORKS help students and businesses build or maintain a database that connects students to employers; e.g., Ohio Means Jobs or School Links?
  3. How can Pickaway WORKS be more intentional with programming and follow-up to ensure all students graduating have identified one or two career paths, and know the education or training required, and the job outlook for their chosen career?

* Additional student survey information was gathered from students which was useful and will inform future campus tour programming decisions, but not included in this report.


This report was prepared in partnership with OSU Extension, Pickaway County. Meghan Thoreau, Extension Educator, worked with Executive Director, Christy Mills, to compile data, create graphics, and develop report, https://pickaway.osu.edu/, thoreau.1@osu.edu.


2050 Stoneridge Drive, Circleville, Ohio 43113 | 740-474-5383 |  highered@pickaway.org | www.pickawayworks.com


 

Pickaway County Commissioners Community Development Briefing

CD OSU Extension: Hands-on STEM Learning & Career Exploration

Prezi presentation on Community Development Extension programming in Pickaway County, Ohio.

2022 Select Teaching and Career Exploration Programs

Braves Expo Day Career: Careers in Drone Technologies

Click here and read the program blog highlight or the QR code below:

Tech Hardware

Quick summary of some hardware used in youth STEM programs.

2022 Select Publications

Pickaway County Annual Financial Report

Click here and read the program blog highlight.

Ohioline Fact Sheet, The She-cession: How the Pandemic Forced Women from the Workplace and How Employers Can Respond

 

Fact Sheet: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/cdfs-4110

Elementary STEM Club: LED Display

Kids on Campus: Technology Coding Summer Camp

Elementary STEM Club: Coding & Connected Toys

Programming Thru the Pandemic

Pickaway County Extension Video Highlight, Working thru COVID

Engaging Middle School Students, Environmental Summer Camp

By: Meghan Thoreau, OSU Extension Educator

This post was published to support an immersive hands-on Environmental Summer Camp Program gears toward middle school students. The lessons focus on frog science.

Frogs are important in research. They belong to the Animal Kingdom and are used to understand biological phenomena in a variety of other animals, including how birds, mammals, and reptiles reproduce, grow and develop. 

Frogs are Indicator Species

Frogs have skin that is permeable, which means things can pass through it. This allows them to both breathe and drink through their skin. It also means that anything in the environment is really easy for them to absorb. If an environment is contaminated with things like pollutants their health will really be affected. They also live on both land and in the water, which exposes them to two different environments.

Thanks to their permeable skin and duel life on and off land frogs are the go-to species to figure out how an ecosystem is doing. Scientists often look at frog populations in order to figure out how healthy, or unhealthy an environment is.

Meet the Gastric-Brooding Frog

These frogs barfed up their babies—and now scientists are trying to bring them back from the dead.

Frogs are Important to the Food Chain

Throughout the lifecycle of a frog, they play an important role in the food chain as both predators and prey. This means that taking them out of the mix has a really big impact on lots of other animals.

As tadpoles, they feed on algae, which helps to keep the water clean. Once full-grown frogs feed on lots of insects, which helps to control bug populations.

When frogs aren’t busy eating things they are being eaten, serving as a tasty meal for tons of animals like fish, snakes, and birds. (1)

Food Chain vs. Food Web

A food chain is a linear representation or description whereas a food web is not linear and therefore includes more connections within the organisms. The two are often used interchangeably, although they are not technically the same. A food web contains multiple food chains. (2)

Career Paths

herpetologist is a zoologist who studies reptiles and amphibians such as frogs and salamanders. Many herpetologists focus on the conservation of these species. Others use them to assess overall environmental conditions in a particular area. Read more about, How to become a Herpetrologist and consider a career in environmental science.

What Does a Herpetologist Do?

Read more, learn about the salary and required skills, What does a Herpetologist Do?


CAMP iPAD ACTIVITIES

Froggipedia

Students use iPads to access Froggipedia. Froggipedia is an engaging, interactive, powerful constructive learning Apple AR that helps students explore and discover the unique life cycle and intricate anatomical details of a frog. The app provides an immersive and engaging experience that elaborates on each phase of the life cycle of a little amphibian called the Anura. (Anura is the scientific name of the frog.)

Froggipedia helps us to observe the life cycle of a frog, such as how it turns from a single-celled egg in water to a tadpole which in turn metamorphoses into a froglet and eventually a full-grown frog. We can further dissect and observe the complex structure of its various organ systems right on our iOS devices using an Apple pencil or your finger. Thus we get the best of both worlds as we get to successfully observe and learn about the structure of a frog and yet cause no harm to life. A fun quiz, in the end, helps in absorbing the knowledge gained through this innovative app.

Wordwall Challenges

Let’s start off with some lifecycle art. Study the frog’s lifecycle below and then students can draw their own frog lifecycle in the first Wordwall challenge.

Challenge 1: Sketch the Frog Lifecycle

Challenge 2: Label the Missing Frog’s Anatomy

This challenge is best done after students engage in Froggipedia’s immersive AR dissection activity, which allows students to become familiar with the frog’s basic anatomy.

Challenge 3: About the Frog


References:
1 https://www.earthrangers.com/omg_animals/whats-so-great-about-frogs/
2 https://socratic.org/questions/58a64e1611ef6b2a50220b08
Images:
Frog with crown, http://wallpaperswide.com/kiss_the_frog_prince-wallpapers.html
Indicator humor, http://www.greenhumour.com/2010/11/pseudotoad.html
Food chain vs. food web, https://socratic.org/questions/58a64e1611ef6b2a50220b08
Frog Anatomy, https://stock.adobe.com/nz/search?k=frog+dissection

Tech Recipe: Starting A Scholastic Drone Racing Team (fact sheet)

By: Meghan Thoreau, OSU Extension Educator

Schools interested in starting a drone racing team may have some basic questions, such as, “Is drone racing legal?”, “When did drone racing start?”, “How does drone racing work?” This fact sheet is written in a recipe format to provide simple how-to guidance for prospective schools and teachers who want to learn more about what it takes to start a drone racing team, such as materials and people needed, the skill-building benefits scholastic teams offer, equipment cost estimates, online resources, and instruction on how to develop a practice schedule and racing events. Fact sheet available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/cdfs-1576

WHY DRONES?

Scholastic drone teams propel lifelong learners. Student teams encourage and build enjoyment, teamwork, curiosity, critical thinking, courage, and creativity.

Video of 2019 Circleville City Schools District drone racing team, Maker X video highlight, an event held in Columbus, OH, by Meghan Thoreau, retrieved from: youtu.be/ITxWx-4jQXU.

Research Capabilities Statement

Ohio State University Extension

Research Capabilities | Community Development, Pickaway County

Figure 1. OSU Extension program areas: 4-H Youth Development, Agricultural and Natural Resources, and Family and Consumer Science images by OSU Extensions retrieved from: https://extension.osu.edu/. Community Development’s STEM Club Program image by Meghan Thoreau.

SUMMARY

Ohio State University Extension is the community-based outreach unit of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at Ohio State. Extension “empowers through education,” we help Ohioans build better lives, businesses, and communities.

OUR VISION Ohioans have the knowledge and resources they need to thrive. OUR MISION We create opportunities for people to explore how science-based knowledge can improve social, economic, and environmental conditions.

OSU Extension delivers knowledge from Ohio State to all 88 counties in Ohio. We work with people where they live to strengthen their own lives and communities. Extension connects with people in all stages of life – from young to older adults – from families to K-12 schools, farmers, business and industry leaders, community leaders, and elected officials.

Community Development in Pickaway County has a unique programming focus geared towards STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math.) My work, as an Education Educator, is informed by a collaborative team of Extension professionals, volunteers, campus collaborators, and community partners that provide leadership for the development, production, and evaluation of educational programs and applied research to foster informal STEM educational opportunities that increase career attainment in STEM fields. My Extension outreach and programming integrates new technologies, hands-on learning experiences, career exploration, and emphasize on the 21st Century skill set.

CAPABILITIES

  • Focus on critical economic, environmental, leadership, youth, and family issues.
  • Engage people in lifelong learning.
  • Apply knowledge/practical research to the diverse needs/interests of Ohioans in rural, suburban, and urban communities.
  • Extend resources of The Ohio State University.
  • Recruit/develop volunteers to multiply Extension’s efforts while developing their leadership potential.
  • Enhance teamwork through networking and connectedness.
  • Link youth, family, and community needs to scholars in Ohio and nationwide.
  • Teach with cutting-edge strategies using new technologies and approaches.

DIFFERENTIATORS

Research projects that require real-world STEM education and instruction, including areas of applied science, engineering, computer science, workforce development, and other areas of instructional methods and delivery.

We offer hands-on programmings such as drone racing, intro to coding, simple circuitry, aerospace and flight simulators, intro astronomy, simple motors and robotics, renewable energy, and more.

We bridge the gap between science and the community, with instruction in STEM and science concepts across community members of all ages, including community members typically underrepresented in research. We utilize relationships across the community to deliver impact in formal and informal learning environments.

AREAS OF PROGRAMMING, RESEARCH & SCHOLARLY INTERESTS

Programming

  • Scholastic Drone Racing (video)
  • K-12 Teacher/Business Tours
  • Elementary STEM Club Program
  • Student Career Exploration Tours
  • Problem-based Learning Initiatives
  • Pickaway County Library Youth STEM Club (video)
  • Summer STEM Camp
  • Real-Money, Real World
  • 21st Century Skill Set and STEM Careers
  • Extra Mile
  • Coding Club & App Development
  • Community and Scholarly Outreach

Research & Scholarly Interest

I’m interested in building new collaborations among practitioners, STEM researchers, learning researchers, and evaluators that are interested in developing and/or studying models in Pickaway County related to informal STEM education. With an additional focus on professional development or professional development resources related to informal K-12 STEM learning; and developing or supporting collaborations, connections, and professional networks within and across sectors informal STEM education and beyond.

My outreach and programming focus on promoting science and engineering education, especially programming that engages professionals and youth from populations typically underrepresented in the STEM fields. I’m interested in advancing my programmatic development with researchers focused on STEM learning outcomes, organizational capacity, and mechanisms for expanding programming and access to STEM resources and experiences. Some challenges I have experienced are a poor understanding of informal STEM challenges and opportunities in rural communities. Rural school districts face shortfalls and hardships, fiscal pressures, school consolidation, population loss, low capacity of the workforce, diversity of the workforce, tech workforce, and a general lack of knowledge about learning technologies and effective STEM delivery.

I’m seeking out ways to: increase informal STEM offerings in rural and agricultural communities; provide support and leadership for expansion of STEM programs (e.g. existing scholastic drone racing program); provide information and resources for rural communities and schools to deliver STEM programs; and better academic understanding of informal STEM opportunities in rural communities.

CURRENT PARTNERS & CLIENTELE

I’m tasked with providing leadership and programming to meet the current and future needs related to STEM education and career development for K-12 youth and educators. I work in conjunction with the Pickaway County Educational Service Center, Pickaway WORKS, school district curriculum directors, K-12 teachers, economic development organizations, such as Pickaway Progress Partnerships, local business and industry, and OSU collaborators. Additional program partners: the PAST Foundation, DuPont, Safety Third Racing, COSI, Digital Flagship, and more. My clientele is primarily K-12 youth and the families and organizations interested in STEM programming opportunities.

Figure 2. OSU Extension Community Development’s STEM Program images by Meghan Thoreau.


 

2019-20 Elementary STEM Club Application Process is OPEN!!

OSU Extension, Pickaway County and Teays Valley School District have teamed up to plan and implement the district’s third annual after-school elementary-wide STEM Club. We will meet approximately 2 times per month in each of the four elementary buildings from 3:30-5:00 pm. Participants will be limited to 30 students per building. Acceptance in the after-school program will be an application based lottery. There will be a $ 25 fee for the year with financial hardship waivers available. The fee can be cash or check (written out to OSU Extension, Pickaway County) and turned in at the first STEM Club meeting or mailed to OSU Extension, Pickaway County, P.O. Box 9, Circleville, OH 43113. Save STEM Club blog, u.osu.edu/tvstemclub/, regular updates will be posted to website; such as, club meeting highlights, STEM challenges, and open access to the STEM Club calendar for your student’s STEM Club meetings. The goal of the program is to promote student interest and engagement in STEM in each of the elementaries. This program is considered an extension of the school day. Participants will be engaged in hands-on STEM activities and learn about careers in STEM.

Students who may enjoy STEM club are those who enjoy being challenged and who are interested in:

  • the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math)
  • the process of learning, asking questions and problem solving
  • helping people and making a difference in the world

If your child is interested in participating in the lottery visit the STEM Club Blog site for information and complete the online applicationApplications must be submitted online by the end of the school day, Friday, August 23rd. NO LATE APPLICATIONS BECAUSE IT IS A LOTTERY! (STEM Club Meeting dates are subject to change. In the event of school cancellation, STEM club will be canceled and not rescheduled.)

CONTACT INFO:

Judy Walley, TV High School Chemistry Teacher & STEM Club Educator, jwalley@tvsd.us
Meghan Thoreau, CD & STEM Extension Educator, thoreau.1@osu.edu

Recap: 2019 National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP)

The Importance of Millennials in the Workplace, presentation cover slide

Presentation cover slide, The Importance of Millennials in the Workplace

This past June Meghan Thoreau presented a scholarly presentation on, The Importance of Millennials in the Workplace, at the 2019 National Association of Community Development Professionals in Asheville, NC. The 30-minute presentation, go.osu.edu/millennials, highlighted:

  1. The changing conditions in the workplace and the workforce induced by emerging technologies, like automation and AI, which are expected to further disrupt ‘the nature work’ and entry-level workers.
  2. General values and career priorities of Millennials. What Millennials want, value, expect from employers, bring to the workplace, how they can improve the workplace, and how to attract Millennials.
  3. Considers possible Extension Generational Program Development ideas, tools, and strategies to engage business and industry that are interested in reevaluating traditional approaches to: employee acquisition, job assignment, employee development, and influencing over organizational culture to support the current and future workforce, in addition to, reevaluating the hiring process and targeted skill sets.
  4. Be proactive of Generation Z, ages 7-24, starting to enter the workforce.

Meghan is very willing to present on this topic and related topics to the local community and business leaders to foster a collaborative discussion on next-steps or programming feedback to considering new approaches and strategies to our youth workforce development programming. Contact Meghan Thoreau, OSU Extension Education, Thoreau.1@osu.edu.

She and her fellow OSUE colleagues were also National NACDEP Award Recipients. Becky Nesbitt (Distinguished Career Award); Brooke Beam (Cross Program Award – Using Virtual Reality in Educational Programming), and Meghan Thoreau (Educational Technology Award – Scholastic High School Drone Racing League Program); and Amanda Osborne (Educational Materials Award – Produce Perks Toolkit for Farmers Markets). These individuals were also North Central Regional  NACDEP winners.

A worthy read, Generation Z enters the workforce: generational and technological challenges in entry-level jobs, by Carolyn O’Boyle, Josefin Atack, and Kelly Monahan. Asks the hard questions, With Generation Z entering the workforce and the nature of entry-level jobs changing, how can organizations redesign these jobs in a way that can both attract and engage Gen Z and ensure that these jobs continue to generate a pipeline of future talent?

NACDEP 2018 Cleveland, OH – Train the Trainer, Hands-on Coding Workshop: Sphero

Are you involved in Youth Workforce Development Programs that targets the 21st Century Skillsets? Please join me at this years National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) in Cleveland, OH, June 9-13, 2018. I will be teaching a 90-minute workshop, Wednesday June 13th from 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., through a partnership between Apple, we’ll be offering an important hands-on ‘entry point’ into computer coding for Educators – train the trainer style – because coding should not be intimidating. As a well-trained Educator, you have all of the skills you need to be successful. Your goal can be to just teach enough of the basics to inspire our youth to explore the multitude of career opportunities that computer programming underlays. For more information please visit, http://www.nacdep.net/2018-nacdep-conference.

Westfall Elementary Students, STEM Camp

Code is everywhere: agriculture, sports, education, art/design, pharmaceutics, robotics, health, entertainment, travel, law, politics, engineering, transportation, meteorology, tourism – you get the point. No youth or 21st Century Workforce Development Program should be absent of code.

Circleville Middle School Students, STEM Day

 

2017 Science Olympiad State Tournament

Last Saturday, I attended the 2017 Science Olympiad State Tournament hosted by the Ohio State University’s Office of Distance Education and eLearning, and I volunteered at the helicopter competition. I’m interested in supporting Science Olympiad (SO) clubs in Pickaway County and wanted to see the students in action and how the competitions are run. I joined the many parents, coaches, students, several interested professors, educators, and residents who volunteered because they valued science. After talking to many of them, I understand that they support the competition because it challenges our youth to explore and apply the systematic study of structure and behavior through observations and experiments.

I’d highly recommend getting involved and learning how to bring a SO club to your school! The video below is from a helicopter competition last season. 

The participants had their helicopters inspected, weighted, and their log books reviewed. It’s called a tournament, and it is, but it’s also a big, open experimental day of test flights, continued learning, networking, application, and assessment of new environmental variables. I was enamored at the varying levels of experience, dedication, and skill that was acquired from previous research and preflight tests. There was mastery from the veteran students that came back year after year to improve their designs and understanding of aerodynamics. I was impressed with Ohio’s SO, the projects, and exploration the competitions gave the students.

To date, Pickaway County has one Science Olympiad club – in Westfall Middle school headed by Rachael Joseph a dedicated 6th grade science teacher. I visited her after-school club and was thoroughly impressed with the students dedication, camaraderie, and drive to experiment, learn, and apply. If your a parent or a teacher interested in growing more SO clubs in Pickaway County, please contact me: 740.474.7534, thoreau.1@osu.edu. The state SO office is looking for more rural school districts to enter their competitions!

And for an easy helicopter activity to try with your kids, click here.

For over 30 years, Science Olympiad has led a revolution in science education. What began as a grassroots assembly of science teachers is now one of the premier science competitions in the nation, providing rigorous, standards-based challenges to nearly 7,000 teams in 50 states. Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering, and technology.

The Science Olympiad national tournament is the culmination of nearly 300 regional and state tournaments. This year it will take place May 19-20, 2017, at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. For more information about Science Olympiad, visit www.soinc.org.