Indiana High School Students Compete in Popular STEM Competition, Science Olympiad

On Saturday, February 10, Ivy Tech Terre Haute hosted its fifth annual Science Olympiad. The nationally recognized STEM competition brought together high school students from Franklin, Hamilton, Jackson, Vermillion, and Vigo counties.

Participants were put to the test on their skills in various STEM disciplines, including genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering, and technology.

Ivy Tech Community College is pleased to announce Terre Haute South High School as the overall winner of the 2024 Science Olympiad. Individual competition winners were:

• Air Trajectory | 1^st: Frankfort High School, 2^nd Terre Haute South High School
• Anatomy & Physiology | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd Fishers High School, 3^rd Brownstown High School
• Astronomy | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd South Vermillion High School, 3^rd Mitchell High School
• Chemistry Lab | 1st Fishers High School, 2^nd Terre Haute South High School, 3^rd Brownstown High School
• Code busters | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd Brownstown High School, 3^rd Frankfort High School
• Detector Building | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd Mitchell High School
• Disease Detectives | 1^st Brownstown High School, 2^nd Mitchell High School, 3^rd South Vermillion
• Dynamic Planet | 1^st Mitchell High School, 2^nd Brownstown High School, 3^rd Terre Haute South High School
• Ecology | 1^st South Vermillion High School, 2^nd Fishers High School, 3^rd Brownstown High School
• Experimental Design | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd Fishers High School, 3^rd Frankfort High School
• Fermi Questions | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd Brownstown High School, 3^rd Frankfort High School
• Flight | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd Fishers High School, 3^rd Frankfort High School
• Forensics | 1^st South Vermillion High School, 2^nd Brownstown High School, 3^rd Mitchell High School
• Forestry | 1^st South Vermillion High School, 2^nd Brownstown High School, 3^rd Terre Haute South High School
• Fossils | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd South Vermillion High School, 3^rd Fishers High School
• Geologic Mapping | 1^st Brownstown High School, 2^nd Frankfort High School, 3^rd Fishers High School
• Microbe Mission | 1^st South Vermillion High School, 2^nd Fishers High School, 3^rd Terre Haute South High School
• Optics | 1^st Frankfort High School, 2^nd Terre Haute South High School, 3^rd Brownstown High School
• Robot Tour | 1^st Brownstown High School, 2^nd Terre Haute South High School
• Scrambler | 1^st Fishers High School, 2^nd Terre Haute South High School, 3^rd Terre Haute North High School
• Tower | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd Frankfort High School, 3^rd Terre Haute North High School
• Wind Power | 1^st Terre Haute South High School, 2^nd Fishers High School, 3^rd Mitchell High School
• Write It, Do It | 1^st Mitchell High School, 2^nd Brownstown High School, 3^rd Fishers High School

Winners of the contests were awarded with a plaque and are expected to attend the state tournament happening in March.

"We are thrilled to host the fifth annual Science Olympiad”, said Sarah Liechty, Ivy Tech Terre Haute’s life and physical sciences program chair. “This event provides a platform for high school students to demonstrate their creativity, problem-solving skills, and their love for science.”

In addition to the competitive aspect, the Science Olympiad aims to inspire students to pursue an education in STEM fields. Students are encouraged to explore their strengths and discover how STEM disciplines can be applied in every career path.    

The event was hosted by Ivy Tech Terre Haute in partnership with the nonprofit organization Science Olympiad.

High school students interested in STEM programs can explore Ivy Tech Terre Haute’s nearly fifty programs in fields such as health sciences, applied sciences, engineering, and information technology at ivytech.edu/divisions. Whether students want to earn a short-term or technical certificate, an associate degree, or go on to pursue an advanced degree, Ivy Tech can help.

Ivy Tech Terre Haute awards nearly $400,000 in scholarships each year. In fact, many Ivy Tech Terre Haute/Greencastle students receive scholarships. For many of these, you just need to submit the general scholarship application to be considered. Ivy Tech has scholarship options for all types of students. To learn more about scholarships available at Ivy Tech, visit ivytech.edu/thscholars.

Some scholarships may require a completed 2024-25 FAFSA to be eligible. In Indiana, all high school seniors are required by law to complete the FAFSA or submit an opt-out waiver by April 15, 2024, in order to graduate high school. Additionally, students who are eligible to receive the 21st Century Scholarship must complete the FAFSA each year to claim their award.

To assist students and their families with completing the new 2024-25 FAFSA form, Ivy Tech Terre Haute is offering a series of workshops. To register for one of the upcoming scholarships, visit bit.ly/ivythfafsa.