Decorah HS's "Physics Olympics Team" wins the Iowa Physics Competition

Olympics State Champions (Front row, left to right): Rylea Ranum, Katie Nimrod and Kaitlyn Rooney. (Back row, left to right): Isabel de la Cruz Hexom, Klara Thompson, Emily Franzen, Andrew Kephart and Avery Zheng. (Not pictured: Jackson Varney)

Decorah High School's Physics Olympics Team, coached by science teacher Tim Hayes, placed first at the State of Iowa Physics Competition hosted by the University of Northern Iowa Department of Physics.
 
The Vikings team finished with 29 points, four points ahead of the second place team. Approximately 150 students from 21 different schools participated in the state physics competition.
 
Members of the DHS State Championship Team include Andrew Kephart, Kaitlyn Rooney, Katie Nimrod, Rylea Ranum, Jackson Varney, Avery Zheng, Isabel de la Cruz Hexom, Klara Thompson, Emily Franzen, and James Paulson. Andrew Kephart and Kaitlyn Rooney won first place in the catapult event. Katie Nimrod and Rylea Ranum placed second in the soda straw arm competition, missing first place by 1.5 centimeters but contributing significantly to the team's first place standing.
 
Coach and teacher Tim Hayes remarked, "We had many state-qualifying performances at regionals but unfortunately, we could only bring one team to represent us all. They could not have represented us better. It's a treat to work with such students!"
 

Kaitlyn Rooney and Andrew Kephart prepare to load their catapult.