staff reporter
Dozens of students from Maple Ridge elementary schools took over Garibaldi secondary Friday morning for the first annual Science Olympics competition.
While the high schoolers were away enjoying a non-instructional day, the elementary students shot lasers through an array of mirrors, tested their grip on a grip-strength tester, created working circuits to power light bulbs, and tested the electrical conductivity of various fruits and vegetables.
“It was fun, because we weren’t just reading the textbook,” said Webster’s Corners Grade 7 student Mason Hicks. “You had to figure it out on your own.”
Teams of elementary students were accompanied by volunteers from the high school’s International Baccalaureate program through the various events.
Science teacher Luigi Zucchetto said the competition was about promoting the sciences as much as it was an opportunity to give Grade 7 students a chance to get acclimated to their future high school.
“We want to get our elementary students enthusiastic about science, and we want to get them enthusiastic about coming to Garibaldi,” he said. “They are interacting with our own Garibaldi students all day, so they’ll know someone here when they get here for the first time.”
Kanaka Creek elementary’s B team took home the gold medal at the competition, while Whonnock elementary earned silver and Albion elementary’s A team took bronze.
“This is the first time we’ve done it,” said Zucchetto. “We’d like to build on this next year and maybe invite all schools in the district to take part.”