2010 Government News | Science Olympiad

On Monday, October 18, 2010, President Barack Obama honored six outstanding Science Olympiad champions and their coaches at the first-ever "White House Science Fair," an event highlighting the achievements of student winners from major national science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions.

In a November 2009 speech on science education, President Obama promised "If you win the NCAA championship, you come to the White House. Well, if you're a young person and you've produced the best experiment or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement, too."

Students from Solon Middle School and Centerville High School (winners of the B and C Divisions at the 2010 Science Olympiad National Tournament), plus coaches Drew Kirian and Penny Valentini, were honored at the White House Ceremony. The president's remarks are archived at www.whitehouse.gov/live and also available on our home page. See below for some great photos at the White House, with President Obama, meeting Jamie & Adam from Mythbusters, and hanging out with Bill Nye the Science Guy! Congratulations to the students: Ojas Sathe and Stephen Tang from Solon MS and Carly Graham, Emily Briskin, Andrew Kerr and Seth Cazzell from Centerville HS.

For a full list of attending organizations and other announcements from the White House, click here.

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

(Courtesy photo/Seth Cazzell)