Fifty-seven middle school students qualified for the National Science Bee regional competition based on their recent online exam scores. The regional event will be Feb. 11 at Roane State Community College Oak Ridge Campus, and national qualifiers will be announced at the end of the competition.
“I was blown away to see how many students came in to take the online qualifying exam,” said Missy Harden, Webb science teacher and Science Bee coordinator. “We had a list on the board for students to write their names if they qualified. Each day I had to make the columns larger and larger to fit all the names. By the end of the week, we had 57 students who qualified for regionals.” She added, “So many students were surprised with how well they did as many doubted themselves beforehand. I am proud of all the students who took advantage of this opportunity and look forward to taking 28 students to regionals next month."
Prior to the semester break, students competed in the first of a three-step process to advance to nationals, which was the online qualifying exam composed of 50 multiple-choice questions. Harden offers the optional exam to all Webb middle school students each year. Among all students in the country who take the qualifying exam, the top 50 percent make it to the regional competition. All of Harden’s students who took the qualifying exam for the regional competition received extra credit, including students who chose not to continue in the National Science Bee.
Following is a list of middle school students, by grade, who qualified and will be participating in regional competition and additional students who qualified:
6th grade -- Tula Sublette, Jasmine Judge, Benjamin Robinson, Lawson Simons, Kaleb King, Elijah Pagello, Nyana Piepenbrink, Webb Schmidt, Mackenzie Watkins and Gillian O’Connell, others qualifying -- Jahmai Jarrett, Ava Anderson, Reese Hines, Angel Walton, Chase Mears, Nicholas Decker, Eli Simons, Hank Lampley, Aari Chaudhary, Corbin Riley, Isaac Brown, Dara Frazier, Hudson Holland, Zakkary Ramsey;
7th grade – Gabby Dooley, Anna Kate Gregory, Mary Myers, Jackson Elfersy, Juan Daniel Arellano, Troy Isaac, Kalie Cleversey, Caroline Walker, Paxton McCallon, Emery Potts, Annsley Kate McCullough, Parker McCallon, others qualifying, Jayda Frazier, Abriella Hershman, Aidan Walker, Ellie Landers, Collin Parr, Gunnar Melson;
8th grade – Grayson Harrell, Eamon Norris, Erin Fisher, Christie Thomas, Henry Hulan, Oliver Greene, others qualifying Shizuku Yanagida, Paizley Hodges, Sam Bradley, Hudson Webb, Ashley Bobo, Ethan Clark, Reagan Bawcum and Harrold Thomas.