Local Science Olympiad teams heading to state

Several local Science Olympiad teams will be heading to the state competition next month.

They include students from Liberty Middle School, Skyridge Middle School, Camas High School and Washougal High School.

Science Olympiad is often referred to as a “track meet for the mind,” and includes competitions in various disciplines such as earth science, biology, chemistry, physics and engineering.

The regional tournament was held March 7 at Lower Columbia College in Longview.

“The whole team had great success this year at the regional tournament and all of the club members will be heading to state either competing on one of the two teams or doing trial events,” said CHS coach Matt Chase. “We have another great group of leaders in our club this year. Our club success comes from these leaders supporting the underclassman and teaching them to utilize the continued support from our community.”

He mentioned Yun Teng, Black Team captain, who led the group at regionals, placing first in three events.

“Throughout the year, Yun has worked with the leadership team to set up partner pairings in events for the teams ultimate success,” Chase said.

Chase added that Jon Bartlett, Science Olympiad Club president, has developed all levels of the club this year.

“He has supported Liberty and Skyridge middle school team members and has encouraged a collaborative environment with all students working on the same events,” he said. “The team leaders’ philosophy of teamwork and collaboration of ideas has enabled us to grow…and ultimately get two teams to state.”

At the high school level, the top five teams qualify for state. At the middle school level, the top three teams go.

Skyridge Middle School: Three teams competed in the regional tournament and included the blue, green and red teams.

The blue team placed first, earning medals in 19 out of 23 events and a trip to the state tournament. Team members include Tsering Shola, Maia Kawamura, Athena Tsai, Yeh Seo Jung, Rahul Ram, Jason Liu, Christopher Xia, Samantha Walters, Ben Peterson, Zaynah Usmani, Devank Shekhar, Shivank Shekhar, Donna Ferdows and Victor Wu.

The blue team won first-place for Disease Detectives, Dynamic Planet, Experimental Design, Meterology and Solar System; second-place for Road Scholar, Elastic Launched Glider and Picture This; third-place for Can’t Judge a Powder, Crave the Wave, Crime Busters, Fossils, Write it, Do it; and fourth-place for Air Trajectory and Robo-Cross.

Liberty Middle School placed fourth in the competition. The coach could not be reached for further details as of press deadlines.

Camas High School: Three teams competed and two placed first and third, respectively, securing spots in the state tournament.

In total, 42 students will be participating from CHS. They include: Tenzin Gyalnub, Josh Randolph, Yun Teng, Chemay Shola, Jonahtan Ho, Levi Holscher, Ethan Zinn, Kurtis Shibata, Ryan Wessel, Jon Bartlett, Chemay Shola, Jason Kim, Calvin Taylor, Rachel Duquette, Sarah Wells-Moran, Jason Kim, Daniel Yan, Calvin Taylor, Daniel Yan, Erica Lee, Isabel Lee, Melody Holler, Phoebus Tsai, Sarah Wells-Moran, Melody Holler, Arya Pathak, Bella Alexander, Chemay Shola, Devin Boehlke, Levi Holscher, Ethan Zinn, Kathy Chen, Rachel Duquett, Josh Randolph, Tenzin Gyalnub, Duy Vuong and Ryan Wessel.

The Papermakers won first-place for Anatomy & Physiology, Bridge Building, Disease Detectives, Entomology, Forensics, GeoLogic Mapping, Mission Possible, Protein Modeling and Wright Stuff; second-place for Compound Machines, Dynamic Planet, Green Generation and Scrambler; third-place for Bungee Drop and Cell Biology; and fourth-place for Air Trajectory, Experimental Design, Fossils and Tech Problem Solving.

Washougal High School: The WHS team placed fifth place at the regional contest, securing a spot to state. Team members are Rebecca Muir, Sierah Cain, Grace Collins, Meri Collins, Maddie Gregory, Abigail Fraught, Emma Hein, Shannon Leininger, Mikayla Johnson, Taylor Brown, Jeanine Jones, Lydia Lyall, Greg Lyall, Matt Hickey, John Billington, Ethan Crockford, Levi Collins. Coaches are Pam Crockford, Leann Collins, James Muir and Keenan Boudon.

The Panthers earned first-place in Green Generation, Bungee Drop and Scrambler; second-place in Disease Detectives, Entomology, It’s About Time, Write-It Do-It and Wright Stuff; third-place in Anatomy, Dynamic Planet, Fossils and Protein Modeling, and fourth-place in Mission Possible.