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Science Competitions Integrated Into Curriculum

Bill Yucuis encourages his students at Lyman High School in Longwood, Fla., to participate in science competitions. Seniors, from left, Brandon Kaiser, Spencer Brint, and Robert Kagel work on a miniature rocket for an upcoming contest.

—Hilda M. Perez for Education Week

By Sean Cavanagh

Competition has brought out the best in students at Lyman High School : Styrofoam gliders, designs for airplane wings, and miniature rockets built to soar hundreds of feet in the air.

For teacher Bill Yucuis, it’s about fun, creativity—and day-to-day classroom instruction.

Each year, students at the Longwood, Fla., school, outside Orlando, take part in science and engineering competitions, which have given rise to a wealth of air-and-space creations. They join thousands of their peers across the country who sign up for contests designed to inspire students and allow them to apply science skills in...