The Science Olympiad team at PDS returned from an exciting and challenging weekend at the State Tournament in March. Competing against other top schools from across the state, the team demonstrated commitment, hard work, and a love for science. Science Olympiad is a nationwide competition that challenges students in topics ranging from biology and chemistry to engineering and earth sciences. These events test both knowledge and practical skills. The competitions encourage students to develop their critical thinking skills and innovation.
After months of intense preparation for build events and test events, the team applied their skills in events ranging from Anatomy & Physiology to Experimental Design. The team was able to place 6th overall in Chem Lab, 6th in Electric Vehicle, 4th in Experimental Design, and 5th in Helicopter. However these results did not come without hard work.
Science Olympiad co-head and junior Daniel Caruso commented, “It was nice to see everyone working together. I could tell we had a strong team because each member really put in the work.” The team’s overall placements highlighted the growing strength of the program. The students met throughout the weeks leading up to the competition, balancing their busy academic schedules with research, practice tests, and building projects from scratch.
The team had a great dynamic, with each member encouraging and supporting the others. Junior Riya Mani mentioned, “Even though I ended up not going, preparing for the competition was a really collaborative experience. Everyone was helping each other out and sharing study material and tips. Something that helped a lot was having meetings to check in on our progress.”
Science Olympiad pushed students, driven solely by curiosity and love for science, to learn advanced topics beyond the standard high school curriculum. PDS placed 10th overall and the hard work of the team members paid off. Beyond the medals, the experience offered memories and inspiration for future STEM students. While the team will be saying goodbye to several dedicated and talented seniors, their leadership has prepared the rest of the team to keep up the momentum for next season.
