The 2008 Missouri Science Olympiad, for students in the "B" (grades 6-9) and "C" (grades 9-12) divisions of Region 3, was held at MCC – Penn Valley on Saturday, February 23. Penn Valley's biology sciences teacher Terry Davin was the tournament site coordinator, and there were more than a few teams of young scientists and their sponsors eager to demonstrate advanced scientific principles in assigned classrooms, once they were able to triangulate which floor of what building they were lost in.

Davin was kept busy. Students from schools around the Kansas City metro area competed in such events as "the Boomilever," "Robot Ramble," "Disease Detective," "Tower Building," and "Road Scholar." Winners proceed to the Missouri state tournament at MU in March, then on to the National competition over Memorial Weekend at George Washington University in Washington DC.

The Science Olympiad originated in the mid-1980s as a means for encouraging problem-solving, teamwork, and scholarship in learning science. The first national tournaments were held at Michigan State University, and Penn Valley was host in 1991. For more history and to follow this year's competition into the future: http://www.soinc.org/index.htm

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