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Once again, young scientists from Noxon and Thompson Falls are busy prepping themselves for the annual Montana Science Olympiad. Students have been preparing to display their scientific abilities, knowledge and skills for the last few weeks.

With less than two weeks to go before the competition takes place, these kids need to focus and get busy in hopes of perfecting their science projects. In all, 42 students, ranging from sixth to twelfth grade, have spent after-school hours researching science-related topics and engineering models, ranging from glider planes to lap harps to water quality to geo mapping, in hopes of finishing at the top of all Montana student competitors.

Most students have accepted the challenge of one project, in engineering or a research-based project. Those abundantly full of science have decided to be high-achieving participants, taking on two or three projects. In addition, some of these same students have robotics to top it off.

"We're in a tough spot right now," Falls sixth grader Braedon Ferris said with despair in reference to his Battery Buggy project. "The hardest is aligning the wheels and motor positions." When asked if he and partner Mace Jacobson would be ready for launch in a few days, he made eye contact and responded with a confident, "Most probably yes, we will be ready to go."

Noxon students who will attend the rivalry are Gabby Stough competing in Roller Coaster and Heredity, Vanessa Horner (Roller Coaster), Laurel Miller (Heredity), Nathan Cano (Elastic Launch Glider), Martha Klaus (Fossils), David Ehinger (Fossils), Aubrey Erwin (Boomilever), Megan Ehinger (Crime Busters), Andy Koonce (Experimental Design), Cade VanVleet (Experimental Design), Jaedyn Murray (Wright Stuff), Edison VanVleet (Mousetrap Vehicle), Levi Brubaker (Mousetrap Vehicle), Shelby Lackner (Write It Do It), Frida Rivera (Write It Do It), Michael Antonich (Anatomy and Physiology), Kali Murray (Anatomy and Physiology), and Jared Webley (Boomilever).

Thompson Falls participants are Trinity Riffle competing in Boomilever and Crime Busters, Kael Brown (Boomilever), Mackenzie Robinson (Crime Busters and Roller Coaster), Hattie Neesvig (Elastic Launch Glider and Heredity), Ellie Baxter (Elastic Launch Glider and Heredity), Braedon Ferris (Battery Buggy and Write It Do It), Mace Jacobson (Battery Buggy and Write It Do It), Bella Buchanan (Disease Detectives), Olivia Harnett (Disease Detectives and Roller Coaster), Alex Olesen (Water Quality), Sydnee Wilson (Water Quality), Daniel Ryan (Anatomy and Physiology and Thermodynamics), Megan Baxter (Anatomy and Physiology and Sounds of Music), Ben Croft (Boomilever and Water Quality), Jolia Buchanan (Boomilever and Dynamic Planet), Marc Boyd (Dynamic Planet, Sounds of Music, and Wright Stuff), Josey Neesvig (Experimental Design, Protein Modeling, and Water Quality), Nathan Burwig (Experimental Design, Protein Modeling, and Water Quality), Ethan Brown (Experimental Design and Mission Possible), Nathan Ostwald (Mission Possible), Nick Viera (Mousetrap Vehicle and Write It Do It), Sierra Hanks (Mousetrap Vehicle), Justin Morgan (Wright Stuff), and Cooper Cable (Water Quality and Write It Do It).

Science Olympiad has been a long tradition at both schools. Noxon math and science teacher Jared VanVleet will escort the 18 Red Devil scientists to Bozeman on November 20. Sixth grade teacher Jase Miller and Sarah Naegeli will make the tour with the 24 Blue Hawk students.

The Science Olympiad is now in its 35th season and is considered the premier science competition in the nation. According to the organization, they "provide rigorous, standard-based challenges to nearly 8,000 teams in all 50 states."