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Students, staff and the school farm celebrated as Buchanan board hears Science Olympiad results and awards
Summary
The board heard from Science Olympiad coaches and students who reported regional success and state qualification; the district also celebrated the Buchanan School Farm receiving the Michigan Barn Preservation Network’s 2026 Barn of the Year award and recognized staff nominees including Sandra Miller.
Board members spent part of their March 16 meeting highlighting student and community achievements across the district.
Byron Kriley, the high school science teacher who leads Science Olympiad teams, told the board the district sent 23 students to regional competition this year and that the B team (11 first-year participants) earned fourth place in the region and was invited to the state tournament. “Of the 20 events that they competed in, we got first or second and placed in 12 of those,” Kriley said, noting students learned engineering, testing and experimental design skills through both build and test events.
Two student competitors spoke: Riley Carlson said she earned one first-place and two second-place medals and called the experience “really fun;” Llaya Sierra described competing in experimental design, rocks and minerals, entomology and dynamic planet events and said she is preparing for state. Kriley told the board the state competition will be at Michigan State at the end of April and described how teams must re-engineer devices to meet tougher state-level constraints.
The board also acknowledged district press releases recognizing a science department mini-grant won by teacher Melissa Frost and a renovation of the Ryan A. Tucker baseball field funded by an anonymous donor. Superintendent Robinson read that the Buchanan School Farm Barn was named the Michigan Barn Preservation Network’s 2026 Barn of the Year, noting the award recognizes preservation and the farm advisory council’s stewardship.
Separately, the board read a list of staff appreciation nominees and announced Sandra Miller, a Buchanan High School art teacher, as the monthly winner.
The board thanked students, teachers and volunteers and encouraged community attendance at upcoming events, including the school farm’s Plow Day and pancake breakfast on April 18.
Provenance: Science Olympiad remarks begin at SEG 155; farm award and press release comments appear around SEG 430–445.
