In a remarkable showcase of innovation, teamwork, and scientific thinking, 25 elementary campuses came together this spring for an exciting district-wide Science Olympiad competition featuring 5th-grade students. Each campus brought a team of young scientists who had been participating in after-school science clubs focused on hands-on exploration and real-world problem-solving.
Students chose one of three science pathways—Engineering, Space, or Environmental—and spent weeks preparing for competition day. Each pathway was intentionally designed with real-world connections in mind, allowing students to explore relevant scientific challenges that impact our daily lives and future. Through their club experiences, they practiced science and engineering practices, developed flexible thinking, and learned how to persevere through challenges—skills that would be put to the test in the competition.
The Olympiad spanned three days, with teams competing against other campuses within their chosen pathway. Challenges closely aligned to the new Science TEKS allowed students to apply key concepts they had explored during club meetings, such as designing devices that convert energy, investigating how force affects motion, or modeling Earth and space systems. While the challenges were familiar, slight variations like unexpected materials or constraints required students to think critically and adapt on the spot.
One of the most exciting moments of the event was the Mystery Challenge, revealed only on competition day. Students were tasked with engineering a device to remove trash from a simulated ocean or space environment—depending on their chosen pathway. With limited materials and time, teams had to quickly design, build, and test a contraption that could collect as much debris as possible while using the fewest resources. This timely, real-world scenario challenged students to think creatively, apply their scientific knowledge, and work collaboratively to engineer a solution with both efficiency and impact in mind.
Beyond their scientific achievements, students demonstrated incredible sportsmanship and empathy. Sponsors and T&L judges noted students cheering for other teams, encouraging peers to persevere, and even offering advice during the Mystery Challenge to help others succeed.
The Science Olympiad sparked excitement around STEM learning and gave students and sponsors a meaningful opportunity to see the science and engineering practices—embedded in the newly adopted Science TEKS—come to life.
Through every challenge, students were not just learning science; they were doing science.
It was a proud and inspiring moment for all 25 campuses involved.
