Press release

Young scientists from 10 middle schools and nine high schools in Western North Carolina will test their talents in the Regional Science Olympiad Tournament at UNC Asheville Saturday, February 23. The competition will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at various locations across campus.

Each team can field a group of 18 students in a variety of events ranging from meteorology to food science. Among the day's highlights will be the Bottle Rocket event. Each team constructs a rocket using a 2 liter soda bottle. The rocket is then partially filled with water and launched using a bicycle pump. The rocket that stays in the air the longest wins.

Volunteers from UNC Asheville, Sud Associates Consulting Engineers, the National Climatic Data Center, Western Piedmont Community College, Catawba Valley Community College, NEMAC (National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center,) the North Carolina Health and Wellness Center, NC Community Colleges BioNetwork, and Duke University will staff the Olympiad.

Competing schools are A.C. Reynolds High School, Asheville High School, Carolina Day School, Charles D. Owen Middle and High Schools, Clyde A. Erwin Middle School, East McDowell Junior High, Evergreen Community Charter School, Fairview School, Henderson County Early College, McDowell High School, The Mountain Community School, North Buncombe High School, Polk County Middle and High Schools, Rugby Middle School, T.C. Roberson High School, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, and West McDowell Junior High.

The winners of the regional tournament will move on to the statewide tournament later this year.