November 6, 2007     

MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Sherrard
(202) 994-1423; mcs1@gwu.edu 
EVENT CONTACT: Robert Snyder
(202) 242-6609; rsnyder@gwu.edu

GW AND DUPONT TO HOST 24TH ANNUAL
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
MAY 30 - 31, 2008

Competition Will Draw More Than 5,000 Middle and High School Students

WASHINGTON - The George Washington University, in partnership with DuPont, will host the 2008 Science Olympiad National Tournament on its Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon campuses May 30 - 31, 2008.  More than 5,000 middle and high school students and teachers from across the country will gather at GW to take part in rigorous academic interscholastic competitions.  The university also will host a one-day Invitational Tournament on Jan. 26, 2008, in order to provide emerging Science Olympiad teams the opportunity to prepare for their regional and state tournaments.

"The National Science Olympiad engages young minds and empowers students to test scientific theories and develop creative approaches to problem solving," said GW President Steven Knapp. "We are pleased to host this prestigious national tournament and welcome the participants and coaches to our university."
 
GW will officially kick-off its efforts in support of the 24th annual national tournament at a reception to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 7 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at its Mount Vernon Campus on Foxhall Road.  President Knapp will be joined by Gerard Putz, president of the National Science Olympiad; Fred Siegel, GW associate vice president and dean of freshmen; and representatives from DuPont's Center for Collaborative Research and Education/Office of Education. 

 The Science Olympiad National Tournament will consist of a series of team events, which students prepare for during the year.  The challenging and motivational events, which are aligned with the National Science Standards, are well balanced between the various science disciplines of biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, and technology and require knowledge of science concepts, process skills, and science applications.  
 
"For nearly 25 years Science Olympiad has led a revolution in science, technology, engineering, and math education," said Putz.  "We are honored to bring the Science Olympiad National Tournament to The George Washington University and our nation's capital.  Our goals are to increase student participation in science and science careers and continue to raise academic competition to the same level of recognition and praise normally reserved for athletic competitions in this country."

 The Science Olympiad is an international, non-profit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers.  These goals are accomplished through classroom activities, research, training workshops, and the encouragement of intramural, district, regional, state and national tournaments.

 Located four blocks from the White House, The George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the nation's capital. The University offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business, and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 130 countries.

For more information on Science Olympiad at GW, visit http://scienceolympiad.gwu.edu.
For more news about GW, visit the GW News Center at www.gwnewscenter.org. 

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