Team repeats as state champions in Science Olympiad

By Alex Paul

Gazette-Times reporter

A note on a classroom white board at Franklin School sums up the school's Science Olympiad team's feelings for its coach - "Mr. Beck rocks."

Last weekend the team won the state Science Olympiad title for middle schools for the second year in a row - a feat that adviser Marcus Beck believes is a nationwide first. The contest, held at Liberty High School in Hillsboro, attracted 20 middle school teams.

In fact, the squad has won the state title five consecutive years. The first three wins were under science teacher Nancy Mietle. This year, the team did it without any of its seventh-graders, who were away on a school-sponsored trip.

"We were slated to finish 58th at last year's nationals and we finished 39th," Beck said proudly of his squad's abilities. "We only have 156 students in our middle school and all of the teams we competed against were state champions. Some states, like New York, have 800 teams. We travel up and down the West Coast to get in five or six tournaments."

Beck said students' families cover all of the expenses associated with the team. They also do fundraisers and accept donations.

In addition to Franklin's middle school students, the team is allowed to have up to five ninth-graders, but has only two.

One of them is J.R. Betich from Corvallis High School. He earned a first place medal for his homebuilt catapult.

"I've been on the team since the sixth grade," Betich said. "I've always been interested in science. This is a great way to show it."

His catapult consists of of a plastic tube attached to rubber surgical cords. The tube is calibrated within a wooden box-like structure.

"The goal is both distance and accuracy," J.R. said. "Part of the problem is predicting where a tennis ball will be thrown. We also have to design graphs."

Betich hadn't been able to work with the device much before the state tournament, but with practice, he hopes for a strong showing at the national event to be held May 14 and 15 in Augusta, Ga.

Eighth-graders Maysa Shakibnia and Annie Edge built a bridge out of basswood and it held seven kilograms (15.4 pounds) before a support brace gave way.

"I did the tower project last year, and I wanted to try building a bridge," Maysa said. "My dad's an engineer and he helped us."

Although there were numerous categories of competition, Beck said he encourages students to enter no more than three.

"The competition is vicious," Beck said. "For example, I helped write the anatomy questions and they would be difficult for college juniors. Our two students who took the test would have scored a 'B' on it and they are in the eighth grade."

Beck also was recognized by his peers at the event, being named Coach of the Year. Assisting Beck is Matt Quinn, an OSU graduate student, and parent volunteer Vince Waterhous.

Beck said the program attracts quality student leaders.

"It's their passion. They want to do this," Beck said. "They have the kind of character that you want them to take over and solve the problems of your country."

Beck said the team will continue to practice after school twice a week for two hours. He will have to trim the traveling squad to a total of 18 students, 15 plus 3 alternates. He said that's not going to be an easy task.

Franklin entrants and their placings included:

• Anatomy: Skeletal, Circulatory, Aging: Anne Edge, Clare Munier, first place.

• Bio Process Lab: Anne Edge, Michael Boggess, first place.

• Compute This: Michael Boggess, Devon Daaschel, first place.

• Disease Detective: Population Growth: Maysa Shakibnia, Clare Munier, first place.

• Dynamic Planet: Earthquakes, Volcanoes: Michael Boggess, Devon Daaschel, first place.

• Ecology - Deserts/Grasslands: Henry Waterhous, Becky Luh, second place.

• Environmental Chemistry n Soil: Maysa Shakibnia, Clare Munier, third place.

• Experimental Design: Michael Boggess, Devon Daaschel, Anne Edge, first place.

• Fossils: Anne Edge, Clare Munier, second place.

• Meteorology-Climate: Jacob Solof, Michael Boggess, first place.

• Reach for the Stars: Casey Schafer, Henry Waterhous, first place.

• Road Scholar: Anne Edge, Clare Munier, second place.

• Write It, Do It: Anne Edge, Maysa Shakibnia, second place.

• Wright Stuff: Casey Schafer, J.R. Betich, first place.

• Pentathlon: Michael Boggess, Devon Daaschel, Maysa Shakibnia, Casey Schafer, first place.

• Elevated Bridge: Maysa Shakibnia, Sam Greydanus, first place.

• Trajectory: Casey Schafer, J.R. Betich, first place.

Alex Paul can be contacted at alex.paul@lee.net or by calling 758-9526.