By Melissa Li
On Saturday, January 31st, Williamsville East High School competed in the Lake-Erie Niagara Regional Science Olympiad held at Canisius College. Williamsville East has grown into one of the largest Science Olympiad representations in the area, consisting of 45 students on three different teams- Red, Gold, and Silver.
The Red Team took 1st place overall, beating over 40 other teams from around Western New York. They earned the opportunity to travel to the State competition, held this March in Syracuse, and test their skills against the top teams from across New York. Gold and Silver Team also performed phenomenally, placing 7th and 11th respectively. Such impressive results are wholly unprecedented. This is the first time in Regionals history that three teams from one school placed at the very top of the competition. A huge congratulations to all of our hardworking Science Olympiad team members!
This is a highly rewarding, rigorous competition, and Senior David Fan says, “Looking back, Science Olympiad helped define my high school experience.” Regionals is the a culmination of a year’s effort and organization. Starting in September, prospective team members undergo a selective try-out process including technical and academic testing. Members that make the team attend regular in-school meetings and four hour-long study sessions every other weekend, where they spend time building elaborate mechanical contraptions and reading textbooks on topics ranging from astronomy to epidemiology. But all this hard work definitely pays off when you’re walking across a stage the day of Regionals to receive your 1st place medal. (And imagining the crushed dreams of the other science nerds you beat to get there.)
For all the nerdiness of Science Olympiad, it’s still a real competition with some real rivalries. Williamsville East is always in contention with the other top schools in the area, including St. Joe’s, Clarence, and Williamsville North. Typically, that rivalry never goes past mocking St. Joe’s pretentious habit of wearing lab coats everywhere. But this year, the inter-school rivalries got a little more heated, with certain Williamsville North students wearing sweatshirts emblazoned with “BEAT EAST” across their backs. Even when faced with such blatant challenges, East students maintained sportsmanship and treated all teams with courtesy, leading to a very dignified 1st place win. (Guess North should try harder next year.) All joking aside, Science Olympiad exemplifies good sportsmanship and honesty in competition. Students are always willing to help each other out, regardless of team affiliation, and that attitude leads to a spirited, encouraging atmosphere.
Senior Yue (Emily) Shi summed it up perfectly, “Although Science Olympiad sounds like a stressful competition, it was an extremely fun experience. From preparing for events at study sessions to competing at Regionals, every step of the journey was rewarding and enjoyable. Even though I joined as a senior, I don’t regret anything other than not being able to spend all four years of high school with this amazing club.”
