By Gordon Mun
On February 4, 2023, 45 NHP students participated in the annual Science Olympiad Competition located at Kellenberg Memorial High School. The club, advised by Mr. Freiberg and Ms. Lombardo, offers students an opportunity to learn more about a scientific topic that interests them.
There are 23 topics to choose from including biology, chemistry, architecture, music, geology, robotics and more. For NHP, there were three separate teams consisting of 15 members each. Participants had two to three different events, with each event having a group of up to two or three members. There are also four different types of events: a core knowledge event, a building event, a laboratory or hands-on event and a hybrid event. Students have to take a test, build a device or object, complete a hands-on task or a combination, respectively.
Every event required extensive preparation months in advance, which included making cheat sheets or building a device or object prior to the event. The advisers and officers of the club helped students by providing practice exams and holding weekly meetings. Other ways students prepared for events included researching online, using old class notes and assignments and purchasing field guides.
“With my partners for each event, I read through the rules sheet for each event and researched the topics listed. In addition, we created a ‘cheat sheet’ for each event containing important information that came in useful during the exam,” Vice President Paul Wang said. “I also worked on practice exams, which helped me be more prepared for taking the exam.”
Source from Ayesha Rashid
Seniors Tessa Cherian and Paul Wang set up their bridge constructed of popsicle sticks. They had one of the only bridges that was able to sustain all of the weight.
“To prepare for my events, I used a lot of practice materials available online and in the Science Olympiad Discord server, such as old tests from the National competition. I also made ‘cheat sheets’ for each event, which helped me learn along the way,” junior Guranaad Kaur said.
The competition’s challenging events are a feature that attracts many students annually. In addition to learning about science, the club is a way for students to meet new people with similar interests. This year’s meet furthered the growth of the club as well, as students were able to grow closer.
“I was super excited for this year's Science Olympiad meet because we had matching sweatshirts! This was not something we had last year. We looked like a team, and I was excited to represent NHP,” adviser Ms. Lombardo said.
“It was great to see everybody in attendance and enthusiastic for their events at the competition,” President Helee Shukla said. “You usually don't get the chance to participate in the unique challenges Science Olympiads offers in a classroom setting, and I really appreciate that part of the club.”
Source from Aparna Shibu
Juniors Aparna Shibu and Trisha George stand with NHP pride as they get ready to participate in their Olympiad events.
“Nervousness and tension were certainly associated with the event as quite arguably some of the smartest people in Long Island were present, however, the event went by surprisingly quickly and was genuinely a great social experience and learning process,” junior Brandon Noguera said.
“I felt like the whole experience was both stressful and rewarding. As we started preparing about a month before the competition, there was pressure to hurry. However, I think the events and the competition overall went well. In the end, it was a fun and challenging experience,” sophomore Clayton Yu said.
The Science Olympiad club aims to continue to grow and further develop students’ passion for science, along with being a social hub for interactions between students who may have never spoken to one another.
Source from Ms. Luciana Lombardo
(From left to right, top row) Junior Brandon Noguera, sophomores Clayton Yu, Joseph James and Julia Kim, advisers Mr. Freiberg and Ms. Lombardo, seniors Bella Prada, Nick Washington, Helee Shukla and Paul Wang and (bottom row) juniors Rajiv Singh, Gordon Mun and Kanav Dani beam with their medals from their respective events.
Awards
Seniors Paul Wang and Helee Shukla, 3rd place in Chemistry Lab
Seniors Bella Prada and Nick Washington, 4th place in Write it Do It
Juniors Gordon Mun and Rajiv Singh, 9th place in Remote Sensing:
Juniors Kanav Dani and Brandon Noguera, 9th place in Chemistry Lab
Sophomores Clayton Yu and Julia Kim, 7th place in Anatomy and Physiology
Sophomores Clayton Yu, Julia Kim and Joseph James, 7th place in Experimental Design