More than 1,100 Kansas students will put their creative and scientific skills to the test Saturday, April 6, in the 26th annual Kansas Science Olympiad tournament, hosted by Wichita State University.

The Science Olympiad promotes analytical and creative thinking. It also inspires young people to explore new areas of science and engineering, as well as develop new skills. This is all accomplished in a fun and competitive environment.

Events will take place in various venues throughout the campus, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 6. The locations and times of events that are open to the public can be found at http://webs.wichita.edu/scienceolympiad/. Click on the “Spectator Information” link in the Current News Box.

Fifty-nine teams of middle and high school students will challenge each other in 46 events. The participating teams advanced to the state contest from four regional contests.

The team with the best score in both the middle and high school divisions will qualify for the National Science Olympiad Tournament, to be held on the campus of Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, on May 17 and 18. Kansas teams have a tradition of doing well at the national tournament.

The Kansas Science Olympiad is supported by Wichita State University, along with corporate donations from Lubrication Engineers, Spirit AeroSystems Inc., BG Products Inc. and Mid-Continent Instruments.

WSU's Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education coordinates the competition and provides training to coaches each fall.