The Hicksville High School Science Olympiad Team, advised by Physics teacher Mr. Michael Evans, participated in its final competition of the season on March 14 and 15 at Le Moyne College in Syracuse.
The students who are part of this club seem to be very fond of it and are proud of their achievements.
“The trip was fun,” Evans said. “It started off rough because the bus was two hours late and there was a one-hour traffic jam. When we got there, the kids had to run off the bus to get their projects in on time. It was at Le Moyne College in Syracuse. They had to wake up early on Saturday because the events were from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There was ice cream and we won our award afterwards at the award ceremony.”
“It sounds like an academic club, but kids from all grades come together and focus on something they all love,” said senior Zafreen Siddiquee, a member of the Science Olympiad team.
“Science Olympiad is a competition that tests all different subjects, such as Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics and Biology,” Evans added. “There are 25 events in which students work in groups of two. There is building, testing or a combination of both. There was a regional competition in February and we came in fifth place. We had fun and learned a lot.”
According to the New York “SciOly” website, “New York State Science Olympiad is dedicated to improving the quality of science education in grades 6-12, increasing male, female and minority interest in science, creating a technologically literate workforce and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science and technology. These goals are achieved by providing opportunities for teams of students to participate in 22 regional and state Science Olympiad tournaments across New York State.”
There are a total of 15 students per team and there are a few alternates. Students are divided into an A, B or C team depending on their skill level. The highest team is A. The teams are set by who qualifies the most rather than by grade.
Every Saturday from 8-12 there is practice in the tech rooms for members to study, build or do labs, based on their events. There are also occasionally meetings between event supervisors and the kids on that event, during the week.
The Science Olympiad team participated in a competition on Jan. 31 at Wantagh High School. They participated in a total of 20 events and received 12 medals. They outstandingly managed to come in fifth place.
Freshman Farzeen Siddiquee, a member of Science Olympiad, described the competition by saying, “The competition was an amazing experience. It was nerve wracking like all competitions but it was really exciting and we all had a lot of fun. We got to meet kids from different schools and a lot of us received medals.”
Evans also commented, “You get an experience you’ll never forget, and a fun chance to do more interesting science and learn independently, and there is an exciting, competitive atmosphere.”
“It was a good way to end the hard work since October, and it’s nice to know we’re among the top teams in the state. Everyone loves to do this,” Siddiqui added.
Siddiquee also described what students got from being in this club. “They not only get specialized knowledge on the subject and build, but they also make friends that you might not have talked to for. To me personally, I wouldn’t talk to someone outside my grade, but like now, even after people graduate, you can hang out or get lunch or something”
Although Siddiquee did not attend the trip, she definitely still has good things to say about the club. She said, “Science Olympiad is a really fun club where you make a lot of friends from all different grades. Even though it seems intimidating, it’s a really comfortable environment where you get to see where your strengths are in science. There are around 25 events, which have two to three people per team on it, and you work together to build, study or perform labs. A lot of time is devoted to Science Olympiad, but in the end it’s all worth it.”
Many people may be oblivious to the benefits and advantages of being in Science Olympiad. It’s an amazing experience for students that want to make great achievements in the field of science. The Hicksville Science Olympiad team sets a very good example, as well as inspiration, for those who want to pursue science careers and gain valuable experience, as well as lifelong friendships.
Jack Colasanti and Kathia Beltre are Hicksville High School students.
