Jonesboro Kids Compete in Elementary Science Olympiad
Fourth through sixth graders from Jonesboro's magnet elementary schools now have a science competition built for their age.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Primary Education
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Jonesboro School District hosted its second elementary science Olympiad on Oct. 31, bringing about 60 fourth through sixth graders from all five magnet elementary schools together for more than 20 competitive events. High school students volunteered to supervise the younger competitors.
Why it matters
For families in Jonesboro, the event gives elementary students a competitive STEM setting that did not previously exist at their age, since there is no national science Olympiad for this grade range. Stokes launched the program to introduce younger students to competitive science early.
About 60 fourth through sixth graders from all five Jonesboro magnet elementary schools competed in more than 20 events on Oct. 31. The event was the second elementary science Olympiad the district has hosted.
The players
Jonesboro School District
The public school system serving Jonesboro, Arkansas, which runs the magnet elementary schools that sent students to the Olympiad.
Desiree Stokes
An Arkansas Excellence in Teaching fellow who co-launched the elementary science Olympiad and helps run the competition.
Jan Annaratone
A Jonesboro educator who co-runs the elementary science Olympiad with Desiree Stokes.
Layla Abdel-Karim
A high school student who returned from a statewide science Olympiad to volunteer and help younger competitors.
The details
Events included engineering coolers designed to keep ice cubes frozen and analysis of mystery powders in simulated crime labs. Teachers asked high school students to supervise dozens of students spread across several classrooms, a role that Desiree Stokes and Jan Annaratone could not fill alone. Layla Abdel-Karim, who had returned from a statewide science Olympiad, was among the high school volunteers helping other students.
Timeline
Oct. 31, 2026: Jonesboro School District held its second elementary science Olympiad.
The Home Front
Elementary-level STEM competitions are rare compared with high school and college events, which leaves younger students with fewer structured science challenges. This Jonesboro program fills that gap at the local level, and its growth from a first to a second event shows how district-led efforts can build that pipeline.
If your child attends a Jonesboro magnet elementary school in grades four through six, ask the school whether its science Olympiad is open to families and how students are selected. Encourage curiosity at home with simple, supervised experiments such as cooling materials or sorting mixtures, and check with the school about any volunteer or supervision opportunities.
The takeaway
Competitive science is reaching Jonesboro students earlier, and the event shows how older students can mentor younger ones. Families interested in similar programs should ask their school about upcoming competitions and volunteer roles.
Further reading
For more on how younger students are introduced to hands-on science, browse Primary Education coverage from We are Home.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kait8.
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