College of The Albemarle (COA) hosted the North Carolina Science Olympiad (NCSO) Elizabeth City Regional Competition on March 4, 2023. The North Carolina Science Olympiad is a program through North Carolina State University (NCSU). The program encourages student interest in science and technology through competitive team-based events. The NCSO offers a variety of events related to biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and engineering, among others.
The competitions are divided into divisions based on grade level, ranging from elementary to high school. Each division has a series of events that participants must prepare for, with topics ranging from astronomy and meteorology to robotics and bridge building.
The Elizabeth City Regional Competition was comprised of middle and high school teams. Division B included Camden County Middle School, Currituck County Middle, Moyock Middle and Pocosin Innovative Charter School. Division C – Junior Varsity included J.P. Knapp Early College and The Epiphany School of Global Studies Upper School. Division C – Varsity included Camden County High, Currituck County High, J.P. Knapp Early College and The Epiphany School of Global Studies Upper School.
The teams competed in the following events: Anatomy and Physiology, Astronomy, Bio-Process Lab, Bottle Rocket, Bridge, Cell Biology, Chem Lab, Codebusters, Crave the Wave, Crime Busters, Disease Detectives, Dynamic Planet, Forensics, Forestry, Flight, Green Generation, Remote Sensing, Rocks and Minerals, Roller Coaster, Scrambler, Solar System, Storm the Castle, Trajectory, Wheeled Vehicle and Write It, Do It.
The overall winners of the Elizabeth City Regional Competition included Camden Middle School for Division B. The Epiphany School of Global Studies for Division C – Junior Varsity and J.P. Knapp for Division C – Varsity. Camden Middle School, J.P. Knapp Early College High School Varsity Team, and the first-place event finishers will advance to the state-level competition. The state tournament will be held at North Carolina State University on April 21-22, 2023.
The Spirit Award is voted on by the event volunteers and presented to the school exhibiting the most team spirit through the regional tournament. The Division B Spirit Award was given to Pocosin Innovative Charter School. The Division C Spirit Award was presented to J.P. Knapp Early College High School. The NCSO Elizabeth City Regional Tournament recognized Beth Egbert with the NCSO Volunteer Award. Beth Egbert teaches biology and chemistry at COA. This is Beth’s second year volunteering at the Elizabeth City Regional Tournament. In addition to being the event leader for three different events on Saturday, she also assisted in setting up on Friday and at the NC Science Olympiad Build Clinic hosted on our campus in January.
The ultimate goal of the NCSO is to foster a greater appreciation for science and technology among students through hands-on experience and real-world applications. The program also encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, essential for success in all aspects of life.
Lisa Meads, COA Dean of Arts and Sciences and NCSO Regional Tournament Director coordinated the Elizabeth City Regional Competition. Faculty, staff and volunteers from COA supported the event by helping with everything from leading the events, event set up and logistics, assisting with scoring, and other necessary roles. College of The Albemarle is pleased to share photos of this event in an album and several specific posts via the COA Facebook page.
Lisa Meads, Dean of Arts and Sciences, said, “It was an exciting day where students across Eastern North Carolina could showcase months of hard work and STEM knowledge. College of The Albemarle is excited to be able to host STEM events such as the Regional NCSO Tournament and is dedicated to supporting the growth of STEM Education in Northeastern North Carolina.”
The North Carolina Science Olympiad offers a unique and fun way for students to develop their scientific knowledge and skills while fostering a love of learning and exploration. College of The Albemarle is proud to be a part of this exciting learning experience for students.
Camden Middle School
Division B Overall Winner
The Epiphany School of Global Studies
Division C Junior Varsity Overall Winner
J.P. Knapp Early College High School
Division C Varsity Overall Winner
For information, contact Tammy W. Sawyer, COA Director of Communications and Marketing, at [email protected] or 252.335.0821 ext. 2420.