59 teams compete at 11th annual Science Olympiad invitational

This past Saturday, NV welcomed 59 Science Olympiad teams for its 11th consecutive invitational. The invitational was the culmination of months of preparation and an hours-long setup day that showcased NV's commitment to both competition and hospitality.

The Friday prior to competition, the 45-member Science Olympiad (SciOly) Club underwent a seven-hour practice session from 2:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Members from all three teams—Gold, Black, and White—took practice tests, finalized builds, set up classrooms while preserving teachers' materials and organized nearly $500 worth of concessions including candy, drinks, and baked goods to sell throughout competition day.

Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m., three hours before competition began, team members divided into welcoming groups of six or seven students each to guide competitors to their rooms, assist with carrying builds and greet the hundreds of students and coaches visiting from as far as Troy, Mich. and Solon, Ohio.

Following a longstanding tradition, NV does not accept medals at its home invitational out of respect for visiting competitors, though the Gold team placed 11th overall among the 59 teams.

"It took a lot of people, but overall the day went well," said head coach Mr. Roth. "The students did a wonderful job. The coaches and competitors were amazing, and they said the team was extremely helpful."

The invitational served as a critical testing ground for several build events working through early-season trial and error. Senior Daniel Lee made the decision to implement a brand-new single-motor hovercraft design just one day before competition to simplify the most intricate hovercraft mechanism.

"The motor assembly worked well, but we need to work on the battery," Lee said. "At the beginning of the year there was a huge learning curve. We use these first couple of tournaments to work out the nitty gritty details so that hopefully at regionals and states we do better."

Team captain and senior Cameron Lampley said, “We did pretty good, but I think we could do better with making sure we're on task at practice."

Despite the competitive pressure, new members such as freshman Madeline Boden said the team's supportive atmosphere stands out. Having competed at Arbor Hills Middle School, she noticed an immediate cultural difference.

"My siblings and friends all had done SciOly, and I did it in middle school," Boden said. "Everyone encourages each other. Arbor Hills SciOly was not like this at all. At Arbor Hills, teammates would bring up every little past mistake to make fun of you, but at Northview everyone is super nice."

Though she felt she could have performed better individually, Boden expressed enthusiasm for future competitions. "I'm excited to compete again," she said.

Boden's observation reflects Roth's view of the club’s collaborative culture as central to its identity. "I think we have very good team unity," he said. "We like to compete and help each other. All three teams work well together. There is a lot of good teamwork."

Roth praised the students' overall performance and their courtesy when aiding visitors. Competition will resume with the Kenston Invitational in January where the team hopes to build on their strong past performance.

Raad Amin | News Editor | Courtesy of The Student Prints

See past briefs here