Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ferris Scholars’ Workouts Pay Off At Science Olympiad

Janice Podsada Staff writer

Marla Meekhof began her workout regimen last fall, months before the big tournament.

“I want to do well and represent my team well,” the 18-year-old Ferris High School senior said just days before last Saturday’s tournament at Gonzaga University.

No rookie, but a second-year starter, Meekhof faced a grueling series of events: Distinguish the water penny larvae from the Caddisfly larvae, the damselfly nymph from the dragonfly nymph; define diastolic pressure; read a genetic map without stopping at a gas station.

“I wish I had more time to study,” she said before the event.

Forty-seven Ferris High School students participated in the regional Science Olympiad on Saturday at Gonzaga. The event, which features individual and doubles competition, was created in 1983 to increase interest in science and to serve as an alternative to traditional science fairs.

Ferris High School, which entered five teams, came in first, second and sixth.

Team scores are derived by adding individual and competition results.

Officials announced the eight top-scoring teams. Later this week they will release the names of the top-scoring individuals.

The three Ferris teams will proceed to the state competition April 12 at Eastern Washington University.

Science Olympiad tournaments are held at local, state and national levels. The competitions feature problem-solving in the fields of biology, physics, earth science and technology.

Last year a team from Ferris won first place in the state competition - for a scant 12 hours, until event officials realized they had botched the scoring. The recount bumped the Ferris team to second place in the lineup.

After that, Cinda Parton, chemistry teacher and Science Olympiad coach at Ferris, was talking retirement from the tournament, but students rallied and convinced her otherwise.

“We asked her not to give it up; she does such a good job,” said Meekhof, whose team came in first Saturday.

Junior Morgan Mattfeldt prepared for the Olympiad by spending weeks hunched over a table - the periodic table. She was preparing for three individual events, one of which involved memorizing the periodic table.

But Mattfeldt was confident she was in her element.

“I’m ready,” she said.

She was a member of the second-place team.

Senior Kirk Lennstrom spent most of January and February hefting flyweight plastic PVC pipe.

Lennstrom’s challenge: Build a lightweight cart capable of carrying a speeding a Grade A uncooked chicken egg along a curved track a distance of 8 to 12 meters without spilling the yolk.

Lennstrom, a second-year veteran of the Olympiad, was revising last year’s design.

“It has springs and skid-control, kind of like anti-lock breaks,” Lennstrom said of this year’s model. Lennstrom is a member of the first-place team.

Parton has nothing but praise for every participant.

“They’re very self-motivated, very independent,” Parton said.

“I organize and schedule study materials and check on their preparation.”

Participants in the Olympiad don’t receive extra credit, Parton said.

“They do it for themselves, she said.

“I’ve seen teams come in where they offer extra credit,” she said. “They’re not doing it because they want to, but for the points. And they don’t do as well.”

Parton said Science Olympiad competitors are a diverse group of students. Meekhof, in addition to competing in the Science Olympiad, is a member of the Ferris Band.

“We have people from all different activities,” Parton said.

“You don’t have to be a science wiz or a genius to compete.”

LC student a Presidential Scholar

Nadav Tanners, senior at Lewis and Clark High School, has been named a Presidential Scholar.

Nadav is one of 2,600 high school seniors nationwide selected for the honor.

Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities and involvement in school and community activities.

Tanners achieved a perfect score of 1600 on his SATs. A final selection of 150 Scholars will be made by a White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. Those students will be invited to Washington, D.C., for a recognition ceremony in June.

Teacher earns PaceSetter Award

Lewis and Clark High social studies teacher John Hagney received a PaceSetter Award and a $500 grant for equipment and materials to further classroom goals.

The PaceSetter Award recognizes teachers’ efforts to help students make the transition from school to career through work and experience.

Hagney was one of four teachers honored Tuesday at the Spokane Teachers Credit Union.

The PaceSetter Awards are given by the Pathways Group, a program administered in the public schools by a consortium of area public school districts, the Spokane Skills Center and the Community Colleges of Spokane.

Robert Lobdell, who teaches business education at LC, was also a contender for the award. Lobdell was one of only 10 area teachers nominated for the award.

, DataTimes