KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) – Hundreds of young scientists from across Killeen ISD spent the day turning classrooms into laboratories and trading textbooks for teamwork.
Instead of worksheets, nearly 300 elementary students got to work putting their engineering skills to the test with 12 different events at the 15th Annual Elementary Science Olympiad.
“They’re building bridges, they’re dropping eggs, they’re flinging gummy bears. It’s just a great opportunity to put their learning into action and we know that when they’re doing hands-on activities that that is when the learning really sticks,” Killeen ISD’s Communications Director, Karen Rudolph said.
Science class looked a little different on Saturday. As for the fan favorite event amongst the students.
“Gummy bear launch, I really like it. I get to work with aerodynamics and flexibility, elasticity,” Killeen ISD 5th Grader, Lucas Restrepo said.
Rudolph says what they’re practicing here goes far beyond a single competition.
“The skills that students have learned they’re going to benefit them not just in science, but in all their subjects and there are things they are taking away from this that are going to be life skills that will apply to the real-world too.”
The awards ceremony which starts at 3:00 on Saturday afternoon can be found here.
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