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Octorara students return from international physics tournament, board hears about teamwork and outcomes
Summary
Two Octorara High School students described the district Physics Fight Club team experience at the international competition, telling the school board about teamwork, peer learning and postsecondary outcomes for program participants.
Two Octorara High School students and their advisor told the Octorara Area School District Board of School Directors on Monday that participation in the International Young Physicists—Tournament (IYPT) and the district—s Physics Fight Club fosters teamwork, peer learning and strong postsecondary outcomes.
Bridget Whitfield and Val Wakeman described the weeklong international competition and what the students learned from competing against teams from more than 40 countries. "There really is this idea of growth," Whitfield said, describing how the team improved its presentation and scoring over the course of the event through repeated practice and feedback.
The students and their coach told the board the program is in its 10th season and has seen more than 130 participants over the years. The coach said among students who complete the program, roughly 45% choose physics in college and about 30% choose engineering; the coach also said all of the program—s completers go on to pursue STEM-related careers in some way. Val Wakeman, who the coach said scored the highest point total of any U.S. team member they had fielded, recalled the international exchange: "It was just a really welcoming environment...everyone was willing to talk, everyone was willing to share what they knew."
Board members and administrators praised the students—presentation. Elena Tao, principal of Octorra Intermediate School, later said the district should be proud of how students represented the schools. Interim Superintendent Dr. Cooper also was thanked by board members for assisting with the transition to the new school year.
The students and coach discussed how the competition—s format—which pairs teams for extended, evidence-based argument and judge feedback—helped them refine hypotheses and presentation skills. Whitfield and Wakeman said they hope to use this year—s experience to mentor future team members, though the coach said many recent graduates are early in their postsecondary careers and have limited time to return as mentors.
The presentation occurred during the visitors—comments portion of the meeting. The board chair and members did not take formal action on the presentation; the students were recognized and invited to take questions from board members.
The district also received routine administrative updates and a series of personnel and contract items later in the meeting.
