JONESBORO — Elementary school students across the Jonesboro School District showcased their scientific skills on October 31 during the district’s second annual elementary science Olympiad. The event, which featured around 60 fourth through sixth graders from the district’s five magnet elementary schools, included over 20 STEM-focused competitive events ranging from building insulated coolers to solving simulated crime lab mysteries.
While elementary students do not have a national competition like their older counterparts, district educators have worked diligently to provide opportunities for younger students to engage in science, technology, engineering, and math challenges in a competitive setting. Desiree Stokes, a high school biology teacher and Arkansas Excellence in Teaching fellow, spearheaded the program alongside chemistry teacher Jan Annaratone.
“What I think is really cool about this event is that it covers so many different sciences, and they’re really niche and unique,” said Stokes. “It gives kids an opportunity to do something beyond the classroom that expands on maybe a personal interest or something that they did connect with in the classroom that they want to explore further.”
With dozens of students moving between classrooms for various events, the organizers enlisted help from local high school students to manage the competition. Beyond assisting in logistical support, the mentors gained experience fostering leadership skills and earned volunteer service hours for their efforts.
“I’ve watched kids that won’t say a whole lot in class manage a room of active fourth-through-sixth graders flawlessly,” said Annaratone, noting how the mentorship opportunity brought out new skills in her students. Stokes added, “They put their teacher voice on.”
One of the high school volunteers, Layla Abdel-Karim, recently returned from competing in a state-wide science Olympiad and found inspiration in giving back to younger students. For Abdel-Karim, the opportunity hit close to home. “I have a little sibling that goes to IS, and when I look at him, I want him to have the knowledge that he needs to be successful when he gets to my age,” she explained. “I think that part of that knowledge starts from younger schools having more opportunities to compete in things like this.”
Organizers see the event as not only a platform for elementary students to explore STEM fields but also a way to build a mentorship pipeline that positively impacts students of all ages.
Copyright 2026 KAIT. All rights reserved.