KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

The question of “are you smarter than a science camper?” was decided this past week as the Hands-On Science Center hosted its first trivia invitational.

According to HOSC Executive Director Sean Amidon, the “Are You Smarter Than a Science Camper Trivia Invitational” was opened to the top supporters of the science center, who purchased a table and competed against other teams, including a team consisting of children attending the HOSC summer camp. The tables consisted of six teams of up to eight players of the science center’s sponsors and one team of the science campers ranging of age five to 11. The six teams were Team Jacobs, Team Copeland and Bell, Team Women in Defense TN Valley Chapter, Team Lowes Tullahoma, the Shed Heads, who were sponsored by Woodard’s Diamond and Design, and Team CFC Recycling.

“The big thing is thanking the sponsors throughout the year, trying to raise a little extra money for things we have planned and to show off how amazing our campers are,” Amidon said.

According to Amidon, the team of campers did amazing and were a testament to the fact that the camps are not just a fun way to pass the summer but a fun learning experience.

“Our team of campers ended up getting 59 out of 60 possible points in the trivia,” Amidon said. “They ran out of time during one of the speed rounds so did not get one answer written even though they knew it!”

During the night there was a competition between the teams to see which team could band together and donate the most summer camp scholarships so children in the community without the means could attend camps for free. By the end of the event they were able to get 30 free camp weeks donated by the teams, including the winning team Team Jacobs, with 11 weeks donated.

“It is an absolutely amazing feeling to be part of this tremendous generosity and be able to lead the HOSC on this journey we have been on,” Amidon said.

Other than preparing for the trivia invitational, the campers have been working on various projects like making their own model rockets, fossils and a variety of other science activities.

HOSC’s Science Summer Camp continue to run from now until July 28. The summer camps run Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be before and after care available from 7:30 – 10 a.m. and 4 – 6:30 p.m. Prices for the space camps are: $145 a week for non-members, $130 a week for members and siblings and $115 for those who sign up for five or more weeks. There are also before and after care as well with $20 a week for before or after care, and $35 a week for both before and after care.

For more information about the science summer camp visit www.hosc.org/shop.