Maplewood Richmond Heights middle school kids are trying to build a legacy of dominating an annual statewide science competition that’s only two years old. An MRH team took fourth in their division at the 2nd Annual Missouri Regional Science Bowl, held at Washington University in St. Louis February 22.
Seventh-graders, Logan MacDonald and Stasya Juracsik, and eighth-graders Aaron Meuser and Christopher Skaggs answered math and science questions in Jeopardy-like matches against schools from across the state throughout the nine-hour day. MRH fielded three teams.
Each member of the second-place MRH team took responsibility for a different specialty. Juracsik had life sciences, but it was a bit lucky that she learned an answer about blood typing answer the day before the contest.
“I was doing my health homework, and because we were learning about the circulatory system, I stumbled on a document on the Internet about blood types,” she said. “Also, I really like life science and biology.”
Teacher Scott McClintock said many of the questions are on things they don’t really teach. They’re also mostly above middle-school level.
“We used to teach blood typing, and everyone would prick their finger and smear it, now with HIV, if anyone smeared blood we’d evacuate the room,” he said.
The students said questions on math, and especially scientific notation were among the hardest.
The MRH kids on the three teams took a test to be given the opportunity, and others heard about it and wanted to compete. After the teams were chosen, the 20-24 students answered practice questions weekly for months.
Each match had two parts. In the first they answered questions individually as quickly as possible. The team collaborated for the second part. “This team did a phenomenal job of working together and making sure every voice was heard,” McClintock said.
Meuser, the team leader, said he’s sad he can’t participate next year, but he’d still like to help out. “I’d like to help the teams in the competition, stay focused and stuff,” he said.
Correction: This article previously stated the MRH team took second place; they actually came in fourth.
Well done! Congratulations.