As a middle school science teacher, Terry Welch can tell you what’s the matter with matter and is crystal clear in her understanding of rock formations.

But interpreting a message on her iPhone can sometimes still be an adventure.

So when an email came into her phone during a school bus ride back to Coupeville, an eager student peeked over her shoulder, intercepted the message and shouted the news.

Coupeville’s Science Olympiad team was headed to the state tournament.

Welch laughed this week as she recalled the events that unfolded Feb. 28, leading to an eruption of electronic messages throughout the bus and ultimately to what will be an early wakeup call this Saturday.

Donning new white lab coats, 15 Coupeville High School students are headed to the state tournament at Highline College in Des Moines.

The bus leaves at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

“We don’t get up,” said junior Garrett Compton, guessing there will be some late-minute preparations. “We just don’t go to sleep.”

The Wolves earned the trip after landing the seventh and final qualifying spot at the Northwest Region competition in Seattle.

It will be Coupeville’s first appearance at the state event in the school’s fourth year of participating in the Science Olympiad.

“They’re motivated,” Welch said. “It’s just nice to know they have a passion for this. They definitely have bonded. They definitely have fun.”

The Science Olympiad is a team competition in which students compete in various scientific disciplines from earth science to physics to engineering.

There are 24 events in all, some that involve timed tests while others are building events scored by how a team is able to design and construct a certain device that performs a specific task.

The Scrambler is one building event that falls under the division of technology and engineering.

Coupeville’s trio of junior Connor McCormick, sophomore Nick Dion and freshman Luke Carlson combined to construct a device that uses energy from a falling mass to transport an egg along a straight track.

Success is measured by how quickly the egg is delivered and how close it gets to a terminal barrier without cracking.

“You have to use gravitational potential energy,” Dion said. “The energy of a falling mass.”

McCormick then demonstrated an air trajectory device that shoots a pingpong ball.

Some students focus more heavily on the chemistry aspect of forensics. Others such as junior Lilan Sekigawa enjoys working with protein modeling.

“It’s a great way to challenge yourself and learn at the same time,” Compton said.

It’s a way to learn beyond the traditional classroom setting.

“Its just fun,” senior Geoff McClarin said. “It’s way more indepth. And you get to build stuff.

“It’s just a giant nerd party.”

Community members have volunteered after school to coach the students in different disciplines, depending on their backgrounds. There are 10 coaches in all, including three science teachers.

Welch said she welcomes more community members to step forward.

“Some have PHDs in that subject,” Welch said. “Some were engineers at Boeing.”

Those interested in volunteering may contact Welch via email at twelch@coupeville.k12.wa.us

The program starts again in October.

Coupeville has 21 students involved in Science Olympiad with those not bound for the state competition still involved in various capacities.

Coupeville’s roster is made up of: seniors Katherine Lovell, Marissa Etzell, Allison Gauslow and Geoff McClarin; juniors Julianne Sem, Dani Johnson, Zane Bundy, Sebastian Davis, Loren Nelson, McCormick, Compton and Sekigawa; sophomores John McClarin, Jonathan Thurston, Joseph Wedekind, Jose Castro and Dion; freshmen Laurence Boado, William Nelson, McKenzie Meyer and Carlson.