Youngsters can test tech skills at Bob Jones Science Challenge

MADISON – One of the newer academic clubs at Bob Jones High School will host a science contest for third- through fifth-graders in Madison City Schools.

The Bob Jones Science Academy will host the Bob Jones Science Challenge, a district-wide technical competition on April 3. Founded in 2020, Science Academy is a student-led club with the goal of teaching advanced scientific concepts to young students to develop a lasting passion for science.

“We conducted a one-week online summer program for 30 fifth-graders on careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), as well as a school-year program from September 2020 to March 2021. To expand the reach of this initiative, we are organizing the Bob Jones Science Challenge,” Science Academy sponsor Kathryn Teare said.

Teare teaches in Bob Jones Medical Academy. She has experience as a registered nurse, nurse practitioner and diabetes clinical manager.

Registration for the Science Challenge is open through March 27. The challenge’s opening ceremony will start at 2 p.m. on April 3 with announcements of competition rules and meeting links. Testing at 2:30 p.m. will include a 45-minute test via Google Forms.

In addition, contestants in each grade level will participate in Kahoot! at 3:35 p.m. Students will receive scores by MCS email at 3:45 p.m. The awards ceremony will start at 4 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby commended the work of members in the Bob Jones Science Bowl team, after their win at regional competition and advancement to National Science Bowl Finals this spring. “I am confident they will represent Alabama well. Good luck to all of the young contestants,” Shelby posted to Twitter on Feb. 23.

Bob Jones team members are Captain Neha Chopade, Aubteen Pour Biazar, Puja Chopade, Thomas Nguyen and Justin Pan. Team coaches are Mary-Katherine Maguire, a science teacher at Bob Jones, and Shubham Chopade, parent of two team members.

Puja Chopade and Neha Chopade are co-founders of Bob Jones Science Academy and serve as president and vice president, respectively. These sisters are sophomores at Bob Jones. Puja is enrolled in the Bob Jones Medical Academy, while Neha is interested in computer science.

Instructors include Root Belay, Anahita Pour-Biazar, Xueer Chen, Kennedy Gore, Jenna Hooper, Emily Lee, Maanasi Limaye, Julia Nguyen, Thomas Nguyen, Samanvi Vootukuri, Constance Wang and Tina Wesser.

For more information, email bjhsscienceacademy@gmail.com or visit https://sites.google.com/view/bjhsscience/home?authuser=0.