On Saturday, Feb. 20, Lee hosted the second annual regional Science Olympiad Tournament. Each team, comprising up to 15 students in middle or high school, competed in 23 events based on the subjects of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering, and technology.

“I am so proud of everyone involved in our Regional Tournament,” said Dr. Lori West, tournament director and associate professor of biology at Lee. “We had overwhelming support from the entire campus, especially the faculty, staff, and students within the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Our goal for the participants was to first and foremost have fun but to also realize how exciting science can be. We were amazed at what they were able to accomplish.”

The participating middle schools were Athens City Middle, Christ’s Legacy Academy, and Ocoee Middle. High school teams included Cleveland High, Christ’s Legacy Academy, Ooltewah High, STEM Co-Op, The King’s Academy, and Walker Valley High.

In the middle school division, Athens City Middle placed first. In the high school division, Cleveland High placed first and STEM Co-Op placed second. All three teams received a trophy and will advance to the state tournament in April.

Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 science education; increasing male, female and minority interest in science; creating a technologically-literate workforce; and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers. These goals are achieved by participating in Science Olympiad tournaments and non-competitive events, incorporating Science Olympiad into classroom curriculum and attending teacher training institutes.

Dr. Lori West, a native of East Tennessee, joined the Lee University faculty in the department of Natural Science and Mathematics in the fall of 2006. While at Lee, she has taught courses such as Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Biotechnology. Along with her involvement in Science Olympiad, West has been actively involved in science education at the secondary and elementary level through several grants (MIB, MIB 2.0, and E=MC2) funded by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

For more information on Science Olympiad, click here or contact Dr. Lori West at [email protected].