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Walkerton's Sacred Heart wins fourth annual NII Science Olympics

Liz DadsonBy: Liz Dadson  May 17, 2026
Walkerton's Sacred Heart wins fourth annual NII Science Olympics

Sacred Heart High School in Walkerton has won the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII)'s fourth annual Science Olympics, held Friday, May 8, at the NII Advance Technology Campus.

The four-member team won the "Explore" championship belt over 16 other teams, mastering a series of inventive science-based tasks and earning top honours at the competition.

The event saw 72 high school students from Bruce, Grey and Huron counties in attendance, facing hands-on challenges that tested critical thinking, teamwork and scientific smarts from start to finish.

Phillip Craig, NII director of education and outreach, welcomed everyone and said he is always amazed at how creative the students are in each of the six challenges.

These included:

  • Rocket Science - a chemistry challenge involving rocket-launching, using a film canister and various compounds

  • Shapeshifters - based on math

  • Branch Manager - a biology challenge, identifying different kinds of trees from their branches

  • Cardboard Creations - based on engineering, creating the highest cardboard tower

  • Rock of Ages - a geology challenge

  • Guiding Light - based on physics

Craig reminded the students of safety first and told them to have fun.

Then he introduced the King of Chemistry, the Baron of Biology, the Pharaoh of Physics, the Sultan of Science, David Yun, NII STEM education lead, who outlined the logistics for the Olympic challenges.

At the end of the day, Sacred Heart's Team "A" was triumphant, ahead of Georgian Bay Community School's Team "A" and Goderich District Collegiate Institute's Team "B".

Craig congratulated the teams, and thanked the event sponsor, Framatome, for helping make this year's Science Olympics possible.

Image Gallery

Winning the championship belt at the fourth annual NII Science Olympics, is the team from Sacred Heart High School in Walkerton; from left, are David Yun, NII STEM education lead; team members Jacob Conaway, Joel Montag, Sam Smith, and Seth Dippel; and Phillip Craig, NII director of education and outreach | photo courtesy of the NII
Teacher Basil Yeldhose of JDSS in Hanover hangs onto the Science Olympics championship belt in hopes that his team can defend its title|
Welcoming the students to the NII Science Olympics, are registration students Karina Baumann (left) and Miya Wall (right), with STEM education lead David Yun (second from left) and director of education and outreach Phillip Craig|
Ella Watson, Kate Watson and Blair Rau of Goderich District Collegiate Institute take the Branch Manager challenge|
Working on the Branch Manager challenge, are Cooper Mitchell (left), Devyn Willie, Alaina Scheurwater and Rowan Gaspire|
Lorelei Bechtel of John Diefenbaker Senior School in Hanover, operates the cardboard cutting saw|
Working together on the Cardboard Creation, are Zander Alpaugh (left), Sarah Missiuna, Claire Gaynor and Michael Bourassa of Saugeen District Senior School in Port Elgin|
Peyton Davis (left) and Savannah Kauffeldt of St. Mary's High School in Owen Sound prepare to make their rocket soar|
Karen Beaubien (left) of the NII is just as thrilled as the Owen Sound team that managed to make its rocket fly|
A team from OSDSS competes in the Rocket Science challenge|

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Liz DadsonWritten By

Liz Dadson

Liz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.



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