CHIMACUM — Their school district may be David to its Goliath competitors, but students from Chimacum Schools who competed in the statewide Science Olympiad came home with medals, ribbons — and the Spirit Award trophy.
“They were competing against mostly triple-A and quad-A schools and private schools,” said Chimacum science teacher Brett Thomsen. “There are no divisions.”
The Spirit Award, won by the Chimacum High School team, recognizes the group of students who demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship and positive attitude throughout the competition, Thomsen said.
In addition, two of Thomsen’s middle-school students, Joseph Heckel and Jonah Severn, took first place in the Metric Mastery challenge.
“I’ve been doing this for many years, and only had one other first-place finish,” Thomsen said.
“It’s a big deal.”
No other schools in the North Olympic Peninsula competed in the state contest, said Jean Cavanaugh, state director of Science Olympiad.
The Chimacum Middle School team has made it to the state competition for four years straight, Thomsen said.
But this is the first year that the high school team won at the regional level to advance to the state contest.
Held Saturday at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, the state tournament drew teams from 40 schools, which competed in hands-on challenges and tests that demonstrated scientific and engineering skills and knowledge, Thomsen said.
“Chimacum was one of only three small schools to compete,” Thomsen said.
