Students from four schools in East Cobb recently placed in the top three in their respective grade levels at the Georgia Olympia Science Olympiad.
East Side was second and Sedalia Park was third in the elementary category, Dodgen finished second among middle schools and for the first time for a school in the Cobb County School District, Walton won the AA division in the STEM skills competition.
Science Olympiad is for students in grades 3-12, and during the school year they take part in various STEM competitions, and are scored together as teams.
Here’s more about their achievements per a CCSD release (and check out the Sedalia Park video at the bottom):
Sedalia Park Elementary has enjoyed strong Science Olympiad teams for over 30 years. Mrs. Leland has been the club sponsor for 40 years and has provided direction and consistency for the competing teams during that time. Students apply and are chosen based on grades, teamwork, and a commitment to meet every Thursday after school. Administration, staff, parents, and community help and support the team.
“Something felt special this year,” Mrs. Leland said. “Students were super focused and passionate about their subject area or building event. Everyone on our team medaled 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at the Title 1 competition. We won 2nd place at Regionals, which earned us a spot in the State Competition at KSU!”
Dodgen Middle School’s award-winning Science Olympiad Team also had an outstanding year! Coached by 6th-grade teacher Barbara Kappel, the team won the Regional competition, which put them through to the State Tournament held in Athens, Georgia, in late April. In an impressive showing, Dodgen’s team earned 2nd place in the State!
“Dodgen’s Science Olympiad team has a reputation of outstanding achievement, and with the many hours these students and coaches put in outside of the classroom, they deserve to be recognized!” said Dodgen Principal Dr. Patricia Alford. “We are so proud of all the team members and Mrs. Kappel for representing our school so well at the state level!”
The Walton Science Olympiad team claimed 1st place at the State Tournament held at Georgia Institute of Technology, earning an invitation to the 2025 National Science Olympiad Tournament at the University of Nebraska in May.
Walton rose to the top of a competitive field of 24 teams at the State Tournament in the Division C “AA Flight” (highest level of competition), a flight that included many of the state’s most accomplished programs. Walton beat Fulton Science Academy (the 2024 State Champions), Chattahoochee High School (the 2024 runner-up), and perennial powerhouse Brookwood High School for the title. This will be Walton’s first return to Nationals since 2022, when the team was State runner-up.
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