Making a Splash at Wonderful World of Water
By Kinley Hilkemann
Pierce had two teams of students compete in the Wonderful World of Water contest, testing their knowledge through six different events including trees, wetlands, groundwater chemistry, soil health Jenga, water and the body, and Dripal Pursuit.
Pierce Team 2 competed in Track 2 and placed second and included Eleanor Bauermeister, Logan Brummels, Trinity Christiansen, and Keegan Holan. The team earned a total score of 142.75 points. They scored 25 points in trees, 23.95 in wetlands, 25 in groundwater chemistry, 20 in soil health Jenga, 25 in water and the body, and 24 in Dripal Pursuit.
Pierce Team 1 competed in Track 1 and placed third and included Lydia Cone, Brody Scholting, Kayton Werner, and Sawyer Konert. The team finished with 124 total points. They earned 25 points in trees, 25 in wetland, 20 in groundwater chemistry, 15 in soil health Jenga, 25 in water and the body, and 14 in Dripal Pursuit.
The hands-on activities throughout the day gave students a chance to learn about water and science differently. One of the most memorable activities for students was launching rockets and seeing how they worked.
“The most memorable thing was probably just like shooting off the rockets. That was pretty fun because it was like cool to see how the rockets worked and stuff,” Bauermeister said.
The competition also gave teachers a chance to see students apply what they have learned in class to real-world activities. Through the different events, students worked together, used their knowledge, and learned more about water and natural resources.
“I just like seeing our kids out there in the environment, learning about our natural resources and the water. Our kids are always so respectful and put their best foot forward, and I love seeing that. And they work together well,” biology teacher Deb Koehlmoos said.
Pierce has competed well at the Wonderful World of Water contest in the past, which has helped build a strong reputation for the school at the competition. The students have continued to represent Pierce by using their knowledge and working together during the different events. Their past success has also made them more competitive as other schools look to challenge Pierce.
“And, you know, a lot of time we've won, and whether is be the water rocket or, you know, going around to the different sessions, we’ve proven that we’re a school that does compete well and knows what we’re doing, and of course, then you always have schools wanting to beat you,” Koehlmoos said.
The Wonderful World of Water contest allowed students to take their classroom knowledge beyond the classroom and apply it to hands-on challenges involving water, soil, plants, and environmental science.
