St. Rose Catholic School students Kelsey Dempsey and Gaby Coronel (L to R) work on their project at the Tennessee Science Olympiad Tournament at UT in Knoxville. The school placed ninth overall in the competition. TMP Photo submitted.
For some religion and science seem like oil and water, but for St. Rose of Lima School Principal Sister Mary Celicia Goodrum the two go “hand and hand.
“God created the world for us to discover and do good for us,” she said, “and the only way to do that is through science.” She sees he divine in everything from the human body and biology to astronomy and physics.
“We couldn’t just make up something like that,” she said. “It’s a fantastic thing.” She passes that passion for God’s hand in nature to her students, who their passion to the State Science Olympiad and brought back 10 medals and placed ninth overall, after winning the mid-state competition.
“We’re really proud of them,” she said, adding the students brought home three first place medals in reptiles and amphibians, the elevated bridge and physical science.
And St. Rose wasn’t the only local school to perform well at state, Stewart’s Creek Middle School placed 11th overall with four medals coming home to Smyrna.
“Just medaling at all means so much to the school because even though we were invited to state last year, we did not medal at all. This year our goal was to medal in at least one event,” said Stephanie Finley, head of the Science Olympiad team and teacher at Stewart’s Creek Middle.
The team brought home medals in environmental chemistry, aviation by building a rubber band-powered monoplane, experimental design and trajectory.
Finley said the team was so excited “there was such an uproar from the students and parents from our school that you could have heard it in the next building. “We are so proud of our students and parents for all of the hard work and involvement,” she continued. “The students are already talking about next year's state competition.”
Goodrum also credited her students and supportive parents for all their hard work and dedication to science. She said the students stayed after school for hours working with parent volunteers to prepare for the state tournament. “They’re also very excited about science,” Goodrum said.
“That’s a real gift to have students who are excited about this.” And that’s the point of the Science Olympiad – to get students excited about science, said Pat Patterson, Olympiad regional director Teams from high schools and middle schools show off their science skills in three areas based on national science education standards, Patterson said. The three areas include science concept and knowledge, science process and inquiry skills, and science application and technology. In the various events students showed their knowledge by building robots, airplanes and musical instruments or identifying animal, plants and rocks.
“We are devoted to improving the quality of education and increasing student interest in science,” Patterson said. Goodrum uses the science to increase student interest in God. “It’s very humbling to help children discover God and have the freedom to discuss that in science class,” she said.
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
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