The Science Olympiad is a team-based STEM competition in which students compete in various areas, including biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and engineering. Flint Hill will be hosting its first Science Olympiad Tournament Invitational, which will include 27 teams from the area. The Invitational will be on December 14th and feature teams from all across the region. The team can use registration funds to buy supplies and to enter more practice competitions or invitations held by other teams. Flint Hill had its first meeting of the year earlier this month in order to collect sign-ups and answer questions for those interested. One of the new members, junior Alexis King, stated, “The team feels like a positive community, and I can’t wait to begin. Everything seems new but is cool, and I’m happy to be here.”
Student members and non-members of the team may earn community service hours to set up and help organize the event for the first time. The Science Olympiad program is also growing now that it has enabled an activity credit. If preferred, students can sign up for the “science oly” activity credit team, and the teachers will track the hours spent preparing. Students can also choose to opt out of this, preventing them from having to commit to earning a certain amount of hours. Either way, the Science Olympiad Team is an inclusive group of individuals that curate a supportive environment.
Last year, the team competed in regionals and placed top five in both ecology and the “write it do it” competition, making it to the State Championship at the University of Virginia for the first time. Here, the huskies competed against the best of the best schools from around the commonwealth with more experience. Yet, the results were astounding, as Flint Hill placed in the top three in air trajectory and in the top five in cybersecurity! The students were shocked by how well they did and overwhelmed with joy as they were excited to even qualify for the competition, let alone place. Throughout recent years, Upper School biology teacher Dr. Deanna Tomanelli has helped the team accomplish astounding progress with her experience of over 5 years leading teams at other schools to state and national success. She has worked with Upper School chemistry teacher Peter Christy to plan the invitational as a tactic for fundraising so the program can hopefully make it to states again, which currently has a date of March 29th, and perform well.
Meetings are held weekly, each Friday. During these meetings, students work on various different topics. The Science Olympiad league has various competitions, with something for everyone interested in science, technology, machinery, and math. As a returning member of the team, seeing the growth from Dr. Tomanelli’s leadership has been amazing. I love being a part of something with so much excitement, allowing me to get to know people I otherwise would not be able to meet. I have competed in various partner events, from geological mapping and tower building to electric vehicles, and I have collaborated with other students.
Science Olympiad is looking for new members with no experience needed. In fact, the team has been proud to close to double this year in members, accepting all who show interest. It is a low-stress, fun environment that provides challenges that help students grow as individuals, inspiring future scientists and engineers. The innovating and test-taking practice is helpful for preparing for the ACT or SAT’s, aswell as everyday assessments that require studying. It is also a standout extracurricular for college applications, exemplifying a further exploration of academic areas of study.
I was able to interview members of the team who were eager to spread awareness about their fun experiences on the team. Sophomore Lara Seth said, “From the year’s first meeting, I could tell students were passionate. Everyone there seemed committed and equally focused on helping to grow the blooming program.” Whether it be the amount of progress last year or the positive leadership from Dr. Tomanelli and Mr. Christy, There is an immense amount of hard work and dedication going into the 2024-2025 season, and it is not too late to get in on the fun.
The competition encourages learning in a collaborative environment and aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. Students are able to grow their interests and aspirations while working together and problem-solving. With only being brought to Flint Hill three years ago, The Science Olympiad program’s story of success as an underdog is inspiring, and the team has a bright future as they continue to develop. If you have any questions, reach out to a member, or teacher, or come by room A213. It’s not too late to sign up and gain an opportunity that could change the course of your aspirations for the future and academic endeavors.
