La Plata Middle School Takes Second at Regional Science Olympiad

Silver City students compete in 23 STEM events, aim for state and national competitions

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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La Plata Middle School in Silver City, New Mexico took second place overall at the regional Science Olympiad competition held at New Mexico State University. The 12-student team placed in the top three for 16 of the 23 STEM-focused events, with students working in pairs to test, build, and problem-solve across various scientific disciplines. The team is now preparing for the state competition at New Mexico Tech, with hopes of advancing to the national competition this summer.

Why it matters

The Science Olympiad provides a valuable opportunity for middle school students to challenge themselves, learn new skills, and develop a passion for STEM subjects through hands-on competition. La Plata's strong showing at the regional level highlights the school's commitment to science education and the talent of its students, who are gaining real-world experience that could inspire future careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The details

The La Plata Middle School Science Olympiad team is led by co-captains Madison Nations and Tasha Pipkins, who help coordinate their teammates' efforts across the 23 events. Students compete in pairs, working on projects like building a functional hovercraft and studying the chemical properties of toxins and poisons. Seventh-graders Amberlyn Mundhenke and Esperanza Sedillo, who are partnered on the hovercraft event, said they joined the team because of their love of science and the practical skills they're developing. Eighth-grader Venny Cozza said his favorite event was Experimental Design, which allows competitors to learn from their mistakes. The team meets three times a week after school to prepare for the state competition, where they hope to place high enough to advance to the national tournament.

  • The regional Science Olympiad competition was held on January 31, 2026 at New Mexico State University.
  • The La Plata Middle School team will compete at the state competition on February 28, 2026 at New Mexico Tech in Socorro.

The players

La Plata Middle School

A middle school in Silver City, New Mexico that fielded a 12-student team for the regional Science Olympiad competition, taking second place overall.

Madison Nations

An eighth-grade co-captain of the La Plata Middle School Science Olympiad team.

Tasha Pipkins

An eighth-grade co-captain of the La Plata Middle School Science Olympiad team.

Amberlyn Mundhenke

A seventh-grade member of the La Plata Middle School Science Olympiad team, partnered on the hovercraft event.

Esperanza Sedillo

A seventh-grade member of the La Plata Middle School Science Olympiad team, partnered on the hovercraft event.

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What they’re saying

“If I want to survive in a zombie apocalypse, I have to know science.”

— Amberlyn Mundhenke, Seventh-grade student (scdailypress.com)

“We've been working on this for a few months.”

— Esperanza Sedillo, Seventh-grade student (scdailypress.com)

“My first year has gone pretty good. It's really fun, but you have to work really hard in order to win a medal.”

— John Peterson, Seventh-grade student (scdailypress.com)

What’s next

The La Plata Middle School team will compete at the state Science Olympiad competition on February 28, 2026 at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. Their goal is to place high enough to advance to the national tournament this summer.

The takeaway

The strong performance of the La Plata Middle School Science Olympiad team demonstrates the value of hands-on STEM education and the talent of Silver City's young scientists. Their dedication to preparing for competitions like this helps foster the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.