On January 14, the Princeton Day School Science Olympiad team competed in the NJ Science Olympiad Regional Tournament, bringing back multiple awards and securing a fourth-place finish. 

Science Olympiad is a competition that tests students in various subjects related to science, such as anatomy, ecology, epidemiology, and more. Team co-head, Junior Daniel Caruso explained, “There are two main events: test taking events and engineering-based build events where [competitors] have to build something and then test it out during the day of competition.” 

Historically, the PDS team has performed exceptionally well, and this year was no different. The team left early in the morning for Camden County College, ready for a full day of competition. However, their preparation for regionals began months earlier, starting in the fall after team try-outs. Through individual work and team study sessions, members were thoroughly ready for their events. 

Sophomore Krystian Rzeczycki commented, “I did a lot of practice tests, used Quizlet, and watched some YouTube videos. By the end, I felt really prepared.” As a result of their diligence and hard work, team members brought home several awards, including: 

2nd place: 

Seniors Patrick Ming and Sophia Zhou, Chemistry Lab

3rd place:

Sophomores Leo Chang and Eddie Letko, Helicopter

Junior Daniel Caruso and Sophomore Krystian Rzeczycki, Disease Detectives

4th Place:

Seniors Sophia Zhou and Jaylen Peng, Bungee Drop

5th Place:

Junior Daniel Caruso and Sophomore Krystian Rzeczycki, Anatomy and Physiology

6th Place:

Seniors Adrien Cristian and Jaylen Peng, Astronomy

Seniors Adrien Cristian and Jaylen Peng, Tower

Beyond the awards, team members valued the sense of camaraderie and learning that Science Olympiad fosters. When asked what his favorite aspect of being a part of the team was, Caruso highlighted the team environment and community; he shared, “[Science Olympiad] is a great way to meet new people. I’ve become better friends with a bunch of people like my fellow co-heads, team members, and faculty members as well.” 

Faculty advisor Mr. Benjamin Share echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the teamwork involved. “I think the biggest skill that students harness is their ability to work as a team [since] all of the events are team-based. Sub-skills include learning to divide and conquer, to embrace your teammates’ strengths, and to persevere through challenges.”

Caruso, Rzeczycki, and Mr. Share all highlighted how Science Olympiad enables them to learn about many different sciences. Rzeczycki explained, “I learned how diseases spread and how [diseases] are tracked.” However, it is not just the competitors expanding their scientific knowledge; Mr. Share added, “I love spending time with students to hear about what they are learning. Sometimes, they are even teaching me things–I’ve started dabbling in code-busting myself!”

Mr. Share further revealed, “The biggest challenge is organizing the team because there were some people who I really wished could be on the team, but at the end of the day, we are permitted only a certain number of spots. I hope those people try out next year though.” If you are a student interested in the sciences, tryouts will take place again next year. 

With a strong placement and performance in regionals, the Science Olympiad team has now qualified for states and looks forward to competing in March!