NORTH MANCHESTER – Manchester University's annual Science Olympiad Invitational expects to draw hundreds of middle and high school students to the North Manchester campus.
On Saturday, 13 high school teams and eight middle school teams will bring about 300 students to the North Manchester campus. They will participate in more than 30 events, with activities that include solving forensic cases, codebreaking and constructing devices such as roller coasters and towers, according to a news release from Manchester University.
"This high-energy day is one of my favorite parts of this job," said Dr. Kathy Davis, MU professor of chemistry and invitational coordinator. She has been a part of the Manchester Science Olympiad Invitational since 2011.
Science Olympiad encourages students to learn in different ways. It also exposes them to Manchester's community where faculty inspire students to develop their curiosity through hands-on experiences in the classroom and the lab, stated the release.
Dozens of Manchester faculty, students and staff donate their time by running events and assisting visiting students during their day on campus.
Manchester University's invitational is one of eight invitationals in the state this year. Invitational tournaments are a stepping-stone for regional competitions, where the top teams compete for a spot in the 2024 Science Olympiad State Tournament on March 23 at Purdue Northwest and a potential bid for the National Tournament at Michigan State University on May 24-25.
Science Olympiad is a national organization that has provided premier competition opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) events for more than 30 years. For more information, go to www.soinc.org.
Middle School B Teams
Harshman Middle School (two teams)
Indian Springs Middle School
Manchester Junior-Senior High School (two teams)
Raymond Park Intermediate and Middle School (two teams)
Winamac Middle School
High School C Teams
Columbia City High School
East Noble High School
Homestead High School
Lincolnview High School
Manchester Junior-Senior High School (two teams)
Mount Vernon High School (two teams)
North Central High School (two teams)
Shortridge High School
Warren Central High School
Winamac High School