By Tyler Dahlgren

More than 650 of Nebraska’s best and brightest student scientists put their innovation to the test at the ESU 10 Regional Science Olympiad, an event that has been growing since its inception in 1990.

The olympiad, which turned UNK’s Cushing Fieldhouse into one giant science lab on March 18th, drew students from as far as Burwell, Ogallala and even Omaha. Throughout the day, they competed in a variety of events tied to STEM that showcased their creativity and, most impressively, their ingenuity.

“It is amazing to see what they can do,” said ESU 10 Teaching and Learning Coordinator Dianah Steinbrink, who, even in her 11th-year working the event, never fails to be amazed by what she sees. “You get to watch them come here through the years. Some of these kids started as seventh-graders and are seniors now competing today. To watch how much more complex and how their thought processes develop and what they’ve been able to do over the years has been amazing.”

The olympiad used every inch of the sprawling fieldhouse, and, with 14 events (covering everything from astronomy to air trajectory) going on at once, things move pretty quickly. Luckily, Steinbrink said, the science teachers/coaches who travel with their teams help ensure things run smoothly. ESU 10 staff was all over the place ready to lend a helping hand, too.

“Our coaches are fabulous,” said Steinbrink. “They’re amazing. They have to put in a lot of time to help the students be prepared as well as run events while they’re here. The amount of time they put in, the amount of time the students put in, it’s a lot, and they’re all here bright and early and ready to go.”

David Morris has been bringing his Centura students to the olympiad since 2016, with the event nearly doubling in size from then to now. Like Steinbrink, he’s always impressed with the student scientists.

“Some of the things they’re able to come up with are pretty amazing,” said Morris, who manned the air trajectory station where a group from Lincoln 3D printed their entire project. “It’s a lot of fun to watch. It’s always such a cool event all around.” 

It’s quite the spectacle, and pulling it off takes a lot of coordination. After 35 years, the event’s become something of a well-oiled machine.

“Dianah does a phenomenal job setting it up and UNK is a great place to host it, so we’re grateful they allow us to use the space,” Morris said. “Everyone from the ESU who comes to help is wonderful. We enjoy spending time and interacting with them.”

The lights are bright and, with so many eyes watching, the stage is big. Countless hours of hard work, exploration and collaboration comes down to a moment. Nerves are involved, as you can imagine.

“I’m sure there are some nerves for some of them,” said Morris. “Some of them are just like, ‘We’re going to go do it. We’re going to show up and do what we can and trust our preparation.’”

ESU 10’s Science Olympiad is an excellent opportunity for students to apply what they have learned in the classroom. It’s also nice for the students to get out of said classroom for a day and to meet and interact with science enthusiasts from across the state.

The day wraps with an awards ceremony, and then the 653 science wiz kids load into their buses and they’re off.

“This is the day I look forward to all year,” said Steinbrink. “Tomorrow, I’ll start planning for 2026.”