Northwood’s Science Olympiad team finished 30th at the State Science Olympiad Competition at NC State University, April 27. This is the program’s fourth year in existence, and after a fourth-place finish at Regionals, its second-straight appearance at the state competition.
“We got 30th place, which isn’t awesome, but there’s always next year,” sophomore Frances Beroset said.
Coach Vicky Raymond sees reason to be optimistic for the future.
“It’s only our second year going to State, and I plan for it to be a thing we do forever now,” Raymond said. “As the teams prep, they can accomplish stuff. We’re still in the growing phase.”
Two teams from Northwood won medals at the State competition. Rose Holden and Ellie Saksa placed fourth in Write It/Do It, while Beroset and Lindsay Holloway placed ninth in forestry.
There are 24 events in total that team members can participate in.
“There was a team of 18 [students], and some of the different competitions you could do were forestry, mission possible, boomilevers, gravity vehicle, rocks and minerals, astronomy, forensics, disease detectives, dynamic planet and stuff like that,” Holloway said.
Each different category has it’s own requirements and things to study.
“For some of them you research it and you have to look at all different types of rocks and minerals, or how a police officer examines a crime scene in forensic,” Holloway said. “So you test powders and fingerprints and irises and find out about that so when you were given a sample crime scene you could identify a culprit.”
Students noted that the teams at the competition are very competitive.
“There’s over 40 schools there, so teams of 20 people are walking around and everyone’s really serious about learning and you’re in such an educated atmosphere,” Holloway said.
— By Jessica Clayton