The Science Olympiad, akin to an academic track meet, consists of 60 events in three divisions: elementary, middle, and high school. About 2,000 students grouped into 15-person teams will compete in events such as designing a mousetrap, catapult or protein-cell model; solving a crime using forensic tools; and analyzing satellite images created by remote-sensing instruments. Some challenges also entail a written test.

“The Science Olympiad is authentic to the scientific endeavor,” said Gary Widdison, co-director of the Los Angeles regional tournament and director of the Los Angeles County Outdoor Science Schools. “We cannot have a robust science investigation unless we teach kids that science is more than just a body of knowledge. It’s about using what we learn to solve problems.”

The stakes are high: The three winning teams from each division go on to the state tournament on April 9 at Anaheim’s Canyon High School. Winners of the state competition then battle other top teams at the 27th annual national Science Olympiad at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, from May 18 to 21. (Below is a list of schools by region.)

Nearly 6,000 teams from 49 states compete annually in hopes of reaching the national level. Besides a trophy and bragging rights, winners also receive grants up to $2,000 for their school.

“Occidental College is proud to host this year’s Science Olympiad,” said Phoebe Dea, Occidental’s Fletcher Jones Professor of Chemistry and one of the tournament organizers. “The College is a great place to learn science. Oxy students are highly successful in integrating research and education, as reflected in the number of student researchers, degrees awarded, and graduates moving on to advanced studies in the science disciplines.”

Seven to eight schools in each division from the regional tournament usually advance to the state competition, and several have reached the national level. Rosemead’s Muscatel Middle School, for example, was the state Science Olympiad middle school champion in 2009 and 2010, and placed 6th in the national competition in 2009. Muscatel Middle was also the state runner-up in 2008.

At the high school level, North Hollywood High School has a good shot at advancing to the national level. The school placed second at the state competition the past four years running, from 2007 through 2010. North Hollywood’s main state rival is Fullerton’s Troy High School, which competes in the Orange County Regional Science Olympiad. In addition to placing first at the state competition since 1999, Troy placed first at the national Science Olympiad in 2007 and 2008, and third in 2009.

Students have been preparing for the regional Science Olympiad for months. About 70 science and engineering professors and students from Occidental and Caltech will judge the competition.

“The Science Olympiad is very hectic, fun, and festive,” Widdison said. “And having it at Oxy is wonderful because of the College’s dignified and venerable campus–that will be very motivating for students.”

Los Angeles Regional Science Olympiad 2011Participating Schools

Downtown/Midtown/Westside El Rodeo Elementary School, Beverly HillsHawthorne Elementary School, Beverly HillsHorace Mann School, Beverly HillsBeverly Hills High School, Beverly HillsBravo Medical Magnet High School, Los AngelesBrentwood High School, Los AngelesRoybal Learning Center, Los AngelesNorth Hollywood High School, North Hollywood

Northeast Los Angeles Buchanan Street Elementary School, Los AngelesEagle Rock Elementary School, Los Angeles

San Fernando ValleyViewpoint School, CalabasasEl Oro Way Elementary School, Granada HillsMillikan Middle School, Sherman Oaks

San Gabriel ValleyGarfield Elementary School, AlhambraRamona Convent Secondary School, AlhambraAlhambra High School, AlhambraMark Keppel High Schoo,l AlhambraSan Gabriel High School, AlhambraDana Middle School, ArcadiaArcadia High School, ArcadiaVineland Elementary School, Baldwin ParkWorkman High School, City of Industry Gidley Elementary School, El MonteArroyo High School, El MonteSt. Lucy’s Priory, GlendoraBaldwin Elementary School, La PuenteLassalette School, La PuenteNelson Elementary School, La PuenteSierra Vista Middle School, La PuenteValinda School of Academics , La PuenteWorkman Elementary School, La PuenteMonrovia Elementary School, MonroviaSanta Fe Middle School, MonroviaHillcrest Elementary School, Monterey ParkWestridge School, PasadenaGarvey Middle School, RosemeadMuscatel Middle School, RosemeadRosemead High School RosemeadRowland High School, Rowland HeightsGladstone Elementary School, San DimasSan Dimas High School, San DimasWashington Elementary School, San GabrielSan Marino High School, San MarinoShively Elementary School, South El MonteSouth Pasadena Middle School, South PasadenaSouth Pasadena High School, South PasadenaTemple City High School, Temple CityYbarra Elementary School, WalnutWalnut High School, WalnutSt. Christopher’s School, West Covina

Beach Cities/South BayHermosa Valley School, Hermosa BeachManhattan Beach Middle School, Manhattan BeachCornerstone Elementary School, Palos VerdesPalos Verdes High School, Palos Verdes EstatesBirney Elementary School, Redondo BeachRedondo Union High School, Redondo BeachPark Western Place Elementary School, San Pedro

South Los AngelesMagnolia Science Academy, CarsonPark Avenue Elementary School, CudahyCarmenita Middle School, CerritosValley Christian School, CerritosFedde Middle School, Hawaiian GardensWalnut Park Elementary School, Huntington ParkOak Street Elementary School, InglewoodWill Rogers Middle School, LawndaleGompers Middle School, Los AngelesLuther Burbank Middle School, Los AngelesSynergy Kinetic Academy, Los AngelesLakeside Middle School, NorwalkSouth Torrance High School, Torrance

Whittier areaBixby Elementary School, Hacienda HeightsCedarlane School, Hacienda HeightsGrazide Elementary School, Hacienda HeightsLos Altos Elementary School, Hacienda HeightsLos Molinos Elementary School, Hacienda HeightsLos Robles Academy, Hacienda HeightsMesa Robles School, Hacienda HeightsNewton Middle School, Hacienda HeightsOrange Grove Middle School, Hacienda HeightsWedgeworth Elementary School, Hacienda HeightsLos Altos High School, Hacienda HeightsWilson High School, Hacienda Heights Macy Elementary School, La HabraRio Vista Elementary School, Pico RiveraRancho Santa Gertrudes Elementary School, Santa Fe SpringsAda S. Nelson Elementary School, WhittierAeolian Elementary School, WhittierOcean View Elementary School, Whittier

Eastern Los Angeles CountyClaremont High School, ClaremontDiamond Bar High School, Diamond Bar

Lancaster/PalmdaleMeadowlark Elementary School, Acton High Desert Middle School, ActonSundown Elementary School, LancasterLos Amigos Elementary School, PalmdaleRancho Vista Elementary School, PalmdaleTumbleweed Elementary School, Palmdale

Santa Clarita Santa Clarita High School, Santa ClaritaRancho Pico Jr. High School, Stevenson RanchWest Ranch High School, Stevenson RanchLegacy Christian School, ValenciaRio Norte Jr. High School, Valencia

Simi ValleyRoyal High School, Simi ValleyWalnut High School, Walnut ValleySouth Pointe Middle School, Walnut ValleySuzanne Middle School, Walnut Valley

Ventura CountyOak Park High School, Oak ParkWestlake High School, Westlake Village

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