EAGLE’s 6th–8th grade students spent last weekend putting their curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills to the test at the 2026 Wisconsin State Science Olympiad for Middle School (Division B). Held on April 18 at Medford Area High School, the competition brought together schools from across the state for a full day of science challenges, beginning at 8:00 a.m. and lasting until 6:30 p.m.
Students competed in 24 different science-based events, ranging from “study events” to “build events.” In study events, students prepared detailed notes, practiced extensively, and completed rigorous tests competing against other schools. In build events, teams designed and constructed devices according to strict event guidelines, then tested their creations for performance and precision.
One standout build event was Mission Possible, where teams design, build, test, and document a Rube Goldberg®-like device that completes required start and final actions through a series of specific steps. EAGLE students Evie Gill and Arunava Prabhakaran earned a gold medal in this event, outperforming every middle school team in Wisconsin and taking 1st place in the state.
EAGLE’s hard work paid off in an exciting way: the team earned 1st place in the Small Schools Division and 2nd place overall in the state, a nice step up from last year’s 2nd and 3rd place finishes. Even more impressively, EAGLE students captured a total of 13 gold medals in the Small Schools category, demonstrating the depth of talent and preparation across the entire team. With 30 students competing across varsity and junior varsity levels, this achievement reflects months of dedication and practice from students who consistently pushed themselves to improve.
This success would not have been possible without the leadership of faculty advisors Ellie Tumarkin and Jenny Klepper, whose guidance helped students prepare for every challenge. Many parents also played an important role by mentoring during practices and supporting the team throughout competition day. The strong showing at this year’s Science Olympiad is a proud moment for the entire EAGLE community and a wonderful example of what students can accomplish through hard work, collaboration, and perseverance.