Science Olympiad is a national STEM competition that brings together teams of students to compete in events spanning subjects including biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, engineering and computer science. Unlike single-subject competitions, Science Olympiad emphasizes a wide range of knowledge and collaboration skills. Events span from lab-based investigations and written exams to engineering build challenges and communication-based competitions.

Students analyzed epidemiological data in Disease Detectives, calculated stellar properties in Astronomy, constructed and tested devices in Bungee Drop and Robot Tour, designed controlled experiments under time pressure in Experimental Design and more. The structure of the competition, having 2 to 3 team members in each event group, encourages collaboration and teamwork alongside scientific inquiry and knowledge. 

At regionals, only one team per school is eligible to advance to the state competition, making placements especially competitive. 

Beyond placements and medals, the Science Olympiad competition is a full-day experience with both rigor and camaraderie. Students rotate between classrooms and labs, moving quickly from intense written exams to hands-on build events, often studying notes in hallways or reviewing between events. The atmosphere is competitive, but also very collaborative as students meet peers from other schools who share similar enthusiasm for science. Between events, teammates regroup in the cafeteria and their assigned rooms to share any updates, schedules, and encouragement, which brings some fun and excitement to the experience.

Science Olympiad Advisor Brianna Castagna, who first led the team at regionals in 2023, said the club at North High has grown substantially in recent years.

“As a whole, the team performed exceptionally well this year,” advisor Castagna said. “Since 2023, we have grown immensely.”

North High’s A team placed tenth overall, one spot below last year’s results. Despite the shift in ranking, the team increased its total medal count significantly, earning medals in ten events, which is four more than last year. 

In Astronomy, Nathan Zhong and Harrison Albin earned second place. Ethan Lam and Vanssa Chen placed third in Circuit Lab, while Zhoaxi Chen and Harrison Albin placed third in Robot Tour.

Harrison Yu and Alex Lu placed fourth in Experimental Design and sixth in Bungee Drop. Michellege Cheng and Jessica Cao earned fourth in Write it Do It and eighth in Water Quality. 

Additional medals include sixth place in Anatomy and Physiology for Vanessa Chen and Hanlei Chen, sixth in Dynamic Planet for Nathan Zhong and Hanlei Chen, and eighth in Disease Detectives for Harrison Albin and Dale Yang.

The breadth of these placements highlights the team’s strength across numerous subjects from life sciences and earth science to physics and engineering. 

“This year our team did pretty great, and although Team A slipped one spot, we were able to mostly hang on,” junior officer Vanessa Chen said. “ Additionally, team B and C made significant improvements. We’re hoping next year to improve our rankings to reach the state level.”

According to Castagna, this year’s competition also presented unpredictable challenges as students balanced multiple events and had to step in last-minute as substitutes.

“This year we faced many schedule conflicts with students on multiple events,” advisor Castagna said. “While I was proud that students improved at the last minute and subbed-in for their peers, next year we will have students prepare for a “back-up” event in-case they are needed as an alternate.”

She added that some students even competed in events independently or without prior notice and still earned medals, demonstrating the students’ adaptability and focus. 

Overall, North’s A team finished just three spots away from qualifying for states. 

Furthermore, as Chen noted, North High’s B and C teams also demonstrated measurable growth and improvement.

The B team placed 17th overall, improving by one spot from last year. Ryan Cheng and Lucas Ye earned fifth place in Designer Genes, and Kevin Lician, Lucas Ye and Brian Liu placed seventh in Codebusters.

The C team placed 25th overall, a nine-spot improvement from last year. Darren Chen and Kingston Chu earned seventh place in Remote Sensing.

“It’s a long and rigorous day, but it also entails a lot of fun experiences,” junior team B member Yuxuan Han said. “You get to spend a day bonding with your teammates, meeting other students who are also passionate about science and realizing how much you have improved over the years.”

Beyond competition results, however, Castagna emphasized that the club’s value extends far beyond medals.

“Students truly enjoy the learning process and are not focused solely on the rewards at the competition,” advisor Castagna said. “They support each other by sharing materials and advice, and the club is very student-driven.”

Each year, around 45 students collaborate to prepare for 23 events, largely through independent study and peer mentorship. Castagna noted that students treat one another with respect and professionalism, greatly contributing to seamless organization and strong teamwork.

Participation also allows students to explore topics, become exposed to new areas of interest they may want to pursue in the future and develop highly important skills.

“Students are able to pursue their interests in science that extend outside of classroom topics,” advisor Castagna said. “They develop skills to “do” science rather than merely memorizing information.”

In events such as Chemistry Lab, Experimental Design and Robot Tour, students face unfamiliar and novel challenges and must apply prior knowledge under time constraints. That process, she said, fosters critical thinking, adaptability and real-world problem solving. 

While North High did not advance to states this year, the club’s increased medal count and overall team improvements signal progress and hope for the future. 

With continued preparation, particularly in build events, the team is hoping to improve even more next year, and the growth shown by all three teams suggests that state qualification is feasible.

“I’m very proud of this year’s Science Olympiad team,” junior officer Nathan Zhong said. “We won four more medals than last year, and many of our team members put a lot of effort into studying for their events. Hopefully we’ll be able to use this year as motivation to do even better next year.”