By Dae San Kim ’25
In the depths of the science building lies the home of the Science Olympiad team. Despite the recent season-concluding state competition at The Ohio State University, the room remains lively as ever. This is typical: Science Olympiad is a medium for participating students not only to compete but to socialize and make new connections.
Science Olympiad is highly-competitive but also emphasizes the team over the individual. One team consists of 15 students who all equally share a burden to learn three to four events that range from knowledge-based exams (cell biology, astronomy) to hands-on labs (chemistry lab, forensics) and builds (planes, bridges). Because each person only does their events, it is crucial to be strong as a team to do well at the competitions.
Competitions—called invitationals—are the best part of being in Science Olympiad. These invitationals allow members to test their hard work and celebrate when they earn medals for their events; furthermore, invitationals typically consist of around forty schools, making them a fun and lively environment. Like other academic clubs, the Science Olympiad team often takes overnight trips such as this season’s invitational at Northwestern University. What makes it different, however, are the numerous local invitationals in places like Westlake, Hudson, and Solon that provide more chances for the team members to prove themselves.
Captain Pedro Villa-Forte ‘23 had this to say: “Science Olympiad was one of the best ways to start my SIHS career because it was so easy to meet new people. Whether I was hanging out in the office or going to a Saturday practice, there was really never a dull moment. I’m extremely grateful for having had this experience and for this community, and I’m hopeful that other people will be able to have it too.”
If you would like to join, please email moderator Mr. Bogen at [email protected] or Pedro at [email protected].
