ExCEL scores a ‘three-peat’ at state Science Olympiad

ExCEL Academic League is living up to its name by winning the statewide middle school Science Olympiad for the third year in a row.The team of 14 homeschoolers from the Camas and Washougal “Alpha” team, beat the second-place team by 41 points to secure a spot at nationals in Orlando, Fla., in May.

In addition to the winning team, ExCEL had another team, “Beta,” compete at the state tournament, placing 11th overall.

“We’re very proud of the kids,” said head coach Pam Crockford. ”They have worked really hard since last September and they are thrilled to be going to Nationals.”

The 14 students from the Alpha team, plus a few alternates from the Beta team, will be traveling to compete at the national competition.

Science Olympiad is described as a “track meet for the mind.” Competitions consist of a series of team events in different divisions.

Alpha placed first in six different events, which included Mission Possible (Rube Goldberg device), Bottle Rockets, Towers, Forestry, Water Quality and Meteorology.

Students who earned medals at state include:

John Billington, second-place in anatomy; Adam Blanchard, first-place in Mission Possible, third-place in Storm the Castle, fifth-place in Optics; Bryan Blanchard, first-place in Mission Possible and Bottle Rockets, third-place in Storm the Castle; Baruch Carson, second-place in Anatomy, third-place Road Scholar; Levi Collins, fifth-place in Water Quality; Meri Collins, first-place in Forestry, third-place in Experimental Design, fifth-place in Compute This; Josiah Crang, second-place in Reach for the Stars, third-place in Mousetrap Vehicle, fourth-place in Road Scholar; Kendall Crang, first-place in Water Quality and Meteorology, second-place in Dynamic Planet, fifth-place in Rocks & Minerals; Ethan Crockford, first-place in Water Quality and Towers, second-place in Reach for the Stars, second-place in Dynamic Planet, third-place in Awesome Aquifers; Rachel Duquette, first-place in Forestry, third-place in Food Science and Experimental Design; Bailey Erickson, fifth-place in Keep the Heat, Crime Busters and Anatomy; Weston Goff, second-place in Storm the Castle; Jonathan Hammond, fifth-place in Water Quality; Tyhler Heniken, first-place in Mission Possible, third-place in Awesome Aquifers, fifth-place in Rocks & Minerals; Moriah Jatho, third-place in Experimental Design and Food Science, fifth-place in Anatomy; Andrew Kobilan, second-place in Towers; Jessica Kobilan, second-place in Towers; Joseph Marugg, first-place in Towers, third-place in Mouse Trap Vehicle, fourth-place in Road Scholar; Rachel Shellman, third-place Road Scholar; Sariah Shellman, first-place in Meteorology and Bottle Rockets, fifth-place in Crime Busters and Keep the Heat; Justin Wambach, second-place in Storm the Castle; Sarah Wambach, fifth-place in Disease Detectives, Optics and Compute This; and Creed Zandamela, fifth-place in Disease Detectives.