News & Information

Students from Carl Cozier and Larrabee elementary schools and Squalicum High School recently participated in science and math competitions.

Squalicum Student Ranks High in International Bridge Building Contest

More than 50 high school students from around the world attended the 32nd International Bridge Building Contest April 25 at Bellingham High School. Squalicum High School student Adam Opryszek finished 15th out of 54 competitors.

To qualify and receive official bridge-building wood for the international contest, a high school student must place first or second in a regional competition, and it must be reported. Opryszek won the Western Washington Regional Bridge Building Competition with a 25-gram bridge that held 125 pounds. He is the only student in the district who qualified for the international contest.

The objective is to see which student can design, construct and test the most effective bridge within the specifications. Model bridges are designed to accept weight in any position, and permit the weight to travel across the entire bridge. In the international contest, Opryszek’s 28-gram bridge held 135 pounds before breaking.

Students in Larrabee Elementary School’s Engineering Club were also able to play a part in the competition. While high school students registered, Larrabee’s students tested bridges they had been working on for weeks. Larrabee started its new engineering club this school year with high participation from students and strong support from parents and community volunteers. The school is implementing a Science, Math, Engineering and Technology (STEM) schoolwide focus.

Photo:  Larrabee Elementary School fifth graders Anna Kirkpatrick and Maria Fairchild attend to their bridge at the April competition at Bellingham High.


















Four Carl Cozier Mathletes Earn Top Score at Math Olympiad

Four students from Carl Cozier Elementary School’s Math Club earned the top score and medals for their work on “Short Problems” in the recent Math Olympiad competition.

Fifth graders Martin Sloley and Aaron Helms, along with fourth graders Dawson Bowhay and Zachary Steele, spent more than three hours solving problems Saturday, May 2 in Edmonds. Of the more than 22 teams in the competition, Carl Cozier was one of four teams with a mix of fifth and fourth graders.

“Short problems” consisted of five tests, each with five questions. A time limit of 20 minutes was given for each of the tests. These tests included problems on number sense, measurement, geometry, probability and statistics, and algebraic sense.

Photo (left to right):  Math Olympians Martin Sloley, Dawson Bowhay, Zachary Steele and Aaron Helms  celebrate their victory May 2.