For the 24th year in a row, under the guidance of Carol Haller and Richard Bender, the Thomas Jefferson Middle School Science Olympiad team is advancing to nationals. Since 1988 the team has finished 1st or 2nd in the state of Indiana and won the state title 21 times.
At national competition, the team competes against 60 Division B, Middle-Junior High teams grades 6-9. The team has won the title twice in 1993 and 1996, placed 2nd 4 times, and has averaged 8th place out of all those years.
This type of achievement requires intelligent students that are driven, committed, who enjoy working with each other, and are striving for high standards. The team also welcomes community help from parents, professors, and students from Valparaiso University and Ivy Tech, doctors, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, students from Valparaiso High School, and adults who previously had students on the team but continue to coach. T
he team consists of 16 students in grades 6-9 and they compete in 23 national sanctioned events. To view the events and find out more about the competition and to watch the awards ceremony online go to soinc.org