Young scientists unite: UC Blue Ash hosts Science Olympiad March 7

Since 2007, the University of Cincinnati's Blue Ash campus has hosted the Cincinnati Science Olympiad Tournament, a yearly competition that brings together hundreds of junior and senior high school students to show off their skills in several science-related events. The Olympiad comes to UC Blue Ash once again on March 7, featuring 23 events requiring expertise in everything from meteorology to anatomy.
 
Students race against the clock to complete several experiments, both in teams and individually. After six hours of competition, awards are offered to both individual students and the participating school with the highest point tally, though the focus of the tournament is more on highlighting the talents of each individual student.
 
The Cincinnati tournament is one of eight regional tournaments and one of dozens of competitions taking place across the country. If students are successful, they have a chance to compete at the national level. The Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization that hopes to encourage STEM subject prowess in high schools across the nation.
 
In 2013, the Cincinnati Olympiad joined iSPACE, an organization that offers student, teacher and corporate development courses to promote STEM-related career awareness. The Cincinnati tournament's involvement with iSPACE secures its position as a part of the national Olympiad and reinforces UC Blue Ash's mission to maintain a strong focus on STEM-focused career paths.
 
The March 7 tournament in Blue Ash hopes to achieve a similar goal by providing an entertaining atmosphere and fostering a competitive spirit. It offers young students the opportunity to flex their intellectual muscles in front of a live audience. Depending on their skill sets, participants will have the opportunity to build robots, construct gliders and even collect forensic evidence.
 
The Cincinnati Science Olympiad is open to the public and still looking for volunteers. Contact Steve Schrantz, tournament coordinator, if you'd like to learn more or Danielle Schrantz to volunteer.