The Science Olympiad team participated in the regional Science Olympiad competition on Feb. 4, placing fifth out of 34 teams.

In total, the team won 13 medals out of the 23 possible events and will advance to the state competition.

Schreiber and the 33 other Division C teams competed in a wide range of events involving earth science, genetics, chemistry, anatomy, engineering, and geology, as well as other scientific fields.

The competition encourages students to get involved in science and technology.  Because the events include a wide variety of scientific topics, students have the opportunity to engage in subjects they are interested in and to expand their knowledge in science.

“It’s also really cool because you can learn about topics you would not know otherwise” said sophomore Jolie Bercow.

The rankings for each event factor into the overall score for the team, and the teams with the lowest collective scores advance to the state competition.

The team medaled in a variety of events, including Anatomy and Physiology, Astronomy, Disease Detectives, Dynamic Planet, Electric Vehicle, Experimental Design, Fermi Questions, Helicopters, Invasive Species, Remote Sensing, Rocks and Minerals, Towers, and Write It Do It.

Groups of two to three students out of the 15-member team are placed on each event, and take tests or perform the necessary tasks pertaining to their specific events.  These events range from study events to technology events, and each event requires different methods of preparation.

“Science Olympiad is about teamwork as much as it is about science and participating in the competition,” says Jolie Bercow.

In the weeks before the regional competition, students began to prepare for their respective events under the guidance of staff advisors Ms. Marla Ezratty and Mr. Scott Carmody.

For the numerous study events, like Dynamic Planet and Ecology, preparation methods include making note sheets, taking tests from previous competitions, and using the school’s resources to do research.  Some study events, like Invasive Species and Rocks and Minerals, require identification skills, so students practiced identifying the different specimens that may appear on the test.

“My partner and I prepared a binder for Invasive Species,” said junior Julia Kim. “We also made sure that we were able to identify the species and recognize their niches.

As for technology events like Helicopters, Electric Vehicle, and Towers, students have to build structures and devices before the day of the competition.  They then bring the devices to the competition, and have them perform the task that has been instructed for that event.

“My partner and I worked on Towers, a tech event that requires you to build a wooden structure that holds the most weight possible,” said freshman Jeannie Ren. “There was a lot of trial and error; you had to build and test over and over again. It’s a lot of work, but it is worth it in the end. It is always a thrill to compete and see how your tower stacks up against other teams.

While it requires hard work and effort, students enjoy the time they spend as members of the Science Olympiad team at Schreiber.

“I joined because a lot of great people do Science Olympiad, also I really love science and it is a lot of fun,” said sophomore Dalia Bercow.

Following their success at Regionals, the team will compete at Le Moyne College for the state competition in March.