Mt. Pleasant Classical Academy

ScienceKid is participating in Science Olympiad, for the first time. Last year our hs group went to the National competition at the U of Illionis, and asked ScienceKid to join the team as their only alternate. He would only get to participate if someone got sick or couldn’t go at the last minute. Pat and I looked at this as an opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime chance of going to a National Competition. How could we pass this up? ScienceKid and I drove from DE to Il, took in every SO program and lecture, attended scores of SO events, and had a fabulous time. I came back kicking myself for not having signed my DS up for this team.

This year ScienceKid joined the team and was assigned Storm-the-Castle; he built a trebuchet and must hit a small target on competition day, wheeled vehicle; he built a rubber-powered car that must stop on a target and get there in the shortest time possible; and Ecology. ScienceKid has had a great time learning to use his Dad’s woodworking equipment, constructing the objects with his Dad, and discussing the mechanics of how to do what needs to be done with his Dad. This past weekend was to be data-collection time, however early on Saturday ScienceKid learned that the Trebuchet’s arm was warped and had to be re-built.

Today ScienceKid came into the house and said ”Mom, Do you want the good news or the bad news?”

Having just learned that one of our Elementary Science Olympiad families, with 2 kids in ESO, needed to drop-out due to a family health crisis, and as coach I need to find two replacements, I was in a sour mood. “Give it both to me, quick.”

“The Good News is that the arm is throwing straight and hitting the box every time. The Bad News is that the arm is throwing about 3′ further than it did before which means we need to collect ALL the data over again.”

“That is Great News. Reproducible and further!”

Oh, great! Now we have to somehow get back into the Public School’s Gym to do a bunch of throws, collect data, make new graphs, and the competion is just a week from Saturday. Nothing like crunch time. I guess we could use this as an excuse to throw in the towel, like one ESO mom wants to do upon hearing that her DS’ partner had to drop out from ESO due to a family health crisis. But what would that be teaching the child?

No, when life throws you lemons son, you make lemonade. When you encounter a problem, or a set-back, use it as an opportunity to figure out a work-able solution, try it out, and if it doesn’t work, then try, try again. That was the first poem both my DSs memorized;

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

To learn about Science Olympiad, visit:

http://www.soinc.org/index.htm