McKinley School county Olympiad champion

McKinley Elementary School had the highest score and took top honors in the Sonoma County Science Olympiad.|

A team from McKinley Elementary School received the highest score and took top honors at the Sonoma County Science Olympiad held at Lawrence Jones Middle School in Rohnert Park.

McKinley’s team, which named themselves Team Black, included: Everett Abercrombie, fourth grade; Mira Bruce-Low, fifth grade; Ashlyn Byous, fourth grade; Josh Byous, sixth grade; Loomis Glashan, fourth grade; Ursula Hongisto, fifth grade; Idan Kashani, sixth grade; Emma Mali, fourth grade; Owen Pontoriero, sixth grade; Maya Scholnick, fourth grade; and Lorelei Wright, fifth grade.

McKinley’s coach, Matthew DeLucia-Zeltzer, has a deep pride in his team and its efforts. “Every week, the kids persevered at practice, challenging themselves to see their events in new ways and striving to improve their personal best,” he said.

“Huge thanks go to our incredible parent volunteers, to the phenomenal Rotary Club of Petaluma that provided material and support at practices, and to the organizers of this competition who have created an environment in which you can look around and see kids smiling ear-to-ear all day long as they return from their events.”

Team member and sixth-grade student Idan Kashani spoke about what the event meant to him. “Science Olympiad is a great opportunity to have fun practicing science and developing skills for the future. It is as if you become one with science,” he said.

Overall, 24 teams of students in grades four to six participated in the Olympiad. McKinley earned the most points in a series of 14 events related to the disciplines of life, earth and physical science. Students applied their knowledge and skills in environmental science, aerodynamic principles, load limit, physics, mathematical computation, the scientific method, engineering and design to the various events.

In preparation for the one-day competition, each team diligently prepares and practices throughout the school year, with the steadfast support of their teacher and/or parent coach(es).

This year’s Science Olympiad drew 330 student competitors, along with 60 volunteer judges who helped facilitate. Twenty-five of the judges were from Dr. Jessica Hobson’s child development class at Sonoma State University.

The grand finale was the Naked Egg Drop event, which required student teams to design and construct an egg catcher from copy paper and masking tape to catch a raw egg falling from increasing heights. Several teams tied for first place: Dunham Team 2, Gravenstein, La Tercera Eagles, Old Adobe Experts and Presentation Patriots Team 1. The winning catch was dropped from 8 feet, 11 inches.

Several other Petaluma teams also scored well. The Old Adobe Charter School Experts were second, the Waugh School Wizards third, the McKinley Elementary Red fourth, the Old Adobe Charter School Roadrunners ninth, the McNear Elementary School Gold 10th, the McNear Elementary School Blue 11th, the Dunham Elementary School Team 2 13th, the La Tercera Elementary School Eagles 14th, the Dunham Elementary School Team 1 tied for 17th and the Wilson Elementary School Wildcats tied for 17th.

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