Watching competing Science Olympiad team members talk about their machines felt like a group of proud classic car owners sharing new modifications with their people Saturday afternoon.

Lake Central sophomore Anthony Greer and freshman Christopher Wartman couldn’t wait to talk to Highland High School seniors Madilyn Stacy and Elisha Singalivo over their air trajectory launcher during the 24th annual Regional Science Olympiad Tournament at Indiana University Northwest Saturday. And Madilyn, for whom the launcher was her first build after three years of competing in study events, was more than happy to share her process as talk of toilet blanches and sparkly tape dotted the convo.

“This was a two-week build,” Madilyn said, showing the ease with which she manipulated the skinnier tube from where the pong-pong ball was launched. “I used the glitter tape for the measurements at each angle, but it ended up being a nice decorative touch.

“I like the idea of marking the distance on the tubes,” Anthony said. “My near-target launch was phenomenal, but my far target never hit the sand. I blame wind resistance, though, because there were a lot of people walking back and forth, and there should never be that much.”

While Madilyn was the architect, Elisha was the tester and maybe had a little too much fun with the process of launching the ball and getting it to go as far as she could, she said.

“If we make it to state, I absolutely know what we need to change,” Madilyn added.Hailey Rolland, a Highland sophomore, had a little less luck but remained in the competition. She built an electric car whose wheel fell off on the bus to IUN, she said.

“But we weren’t disqualified, so that’s good,” she said, smiling at her luck.

Keira Gordon, a Lake Central sophomore, wasn’t quite as lucky. Competing in Robot Tour, the robot she built decided it wasn’t going to move at crunch time.

“It was supposed to go through the maze, and I’m not really sure what happened because it was working this morning,” Keira said.

Forty-two teams from 33 middle and high schools were represented at the Regional, one of six held around the state. The top eight middle and high schools will advance to the State Tournament April 5 at Purdue Northwest’s Hammond campus.

IUN Tournament Director Harold Olivey, who’s also the school’s Biology Chair, said the tournament added several new trial events that didn’t count toward the teams’ advancement, including two plant-based experiments and protein modeling. But all of the events are worth the time, fun and frustation of doing them.

“Seeing the kids get into science is so rewarding,” Olivey said.

“Studies have shown that students learn better when they have hands-on projects, and it gets them interested in STEM careers. Hopefully, that interest continues going forward, and if they want to study them here, we welcome them.”

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.