By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
SEMS Science Olympiad takes region
0318 sems science
South Effingham Middle School won the regional Science Olympiad, held at South Georgia College. The team is comprised of 19 students, 15 competitors and four alternates, in grades 6-9: Nicholas Hobbs, Jake Walbert, Naren Bhimbra, Madison Brewton, Jake Shikany, Stephen Ehret, Payton Faunce, Nathan Simon, Walter Clark, Mitchell Fowler, Ian Morrison, Logan Byrd, Olivia Bowser, Delaney Ramsey, Luca DAngelo, Andrew Ji, Kerrington Dowdy, Ian Osborne and Daniel Ehret. - photo by Photo provided

The South Effingham Middle School Science Olympiad team earned first place at the recent Regional Science Olympiad Tournament at South Georgia College in Douglas.

Teams competed in a series of 23 events testing members’ knowledge of science skills, processes and applications in a wide range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, technology, earth science and mathematics. The Mustangs earned medals in 21 out of 23 events. That included eight first-place medals, for Anatomy, Meteorology, RoboCross, Shock Value, Experimental Design, Simple Machines, Sounds of Music and Write It, Do It.

SEHS received nine second-place medals, for Can’t Judge a Powder, Crime Busters, Dynamic Planet, Heredity, Road Scholar, Rocks and Minerals, Rotor Egg Drop, Solar System, and Water Quality.

The Mustangs brought home three third-place medals, for Boomilever, Disease Detectives, and Entomology, and one fourth-place medal in Helicopters. Wheeled Vehicle and Metric Mastery both finished in sixth place.

The first-place finish at regionals earned the Mustangs a trip to the state competition March 22 at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta. Twenty-four teams from all over the state of Georgia will compete to move on to the national level.

Science Olympiad is a national organization designed to increase student interest in the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to improve the quality of science education. Its success relies upon the creation of strong links between the community, parents and teachers.

Locally, Georgia-Pacific is a major supporter of the program through coaches and funding. The Georgia-Pacific coaches were Sara Herd, Jim Ramp, Richard Love, Chris Daigle, Jabari Green, Jenna Stallings, Jason Hillman, Chelsie Liversedge, Alison Tanner, Alex Moses and Bryan Calloway. In addition to the GP Coaches, several parents and teachers assist as well: Shelly Hobbs, Joan Hightower, Laura Osborne, Lynn and Mike Shikany, Tracy and Trey Dowdy, and Eric Harris.

The SEMS team is comprised of 19 students, 15 competitors and four alternates, in grades 6-9: Nicholas Hobbs, Jake Walbert, Naren Bhimbra, Madison Brewton, Jake Shikany, Stephen Ehret, Payton Faunce, Nathan Simon, Walter Clark, Mitchell Fowler, Ian Morrison, Logan Byrd, Olivia Bowser, Delaney Ramsey, Luca D’Angelo, Andrew Ji, Kerrington Dowdy, Ian Osborne, and Daniel Ehret.