The Maui Preparatory Academy Science Olympiad team includes (from left): back row — Sydney Gilbert, Julia Addie Goldblatt, Head Coach Carrie DeMott, Samantha Shoemaker and James Foster; front row — Leiana Beyer, Emma Archambeau, Stephan Foster, Joshua Ancheta and Caleb Bermudez.

NAPILI — Maui Preparatory Academy Middle School students took first place at a Regional Science Olympiad contest on Oahu. 

Nine students and their science teacher, Carrie DeMott, left Maui during the early morning hours on Saturday, Feb. 6, and returned wearing medals and holding a trophy. 

The Science Olympiad, held at Leeward Community College in Pearl City, was attended by 120 students and 15 schools throughout the state. 

This regional science contest was one of three qualifying tournaments being held in different parts of Oahu.

The top winners of each regional tournament advance to the State Science Olympiad on March 6 in Oahu.

Winners of the State Science Olympiad are then qualified to participate in the National Science Olympiad at the University of Illinois in May. Middle and high schools throughout the U.S. will compete.

Hawaii participants in the Science Olympiad quadrupled from 2009 to 2010.

Hawaii schools have participated in the Science Olympiad program for the last seven years. The program was established by professors at Leeward Community College.