On Saturday, April 5, the USN Science Olympiad competed at the University of Tennessee Knoxville for the Tennessee Science Olympiad State Tournament.
After competing at several invitational tournaments in January, USN earned a state berth by winning its regional tournament in March. The victory secured the team’s spot among top contenders from across Tennessee, with only winners from each of the state’s six regions advancing to the state competition.
Science Olympiad is a nationwide STEM competition that brings together high school students to compete in 23 diverse events, covering topics from biology and chemistry to physics, earth science, engineering, and inquiry-based challenges. It emphasizes teamwork, hands-on learning, and scientific thinking under pressure.
The state tournament team consisted of Amelie Soslow ‘25, Lin Zheng ‘26, Joseph Jewett ‘27, Charlotte Soslow ‘27, Collin Chan ‘25, Dalton Dervan ‘28, Eleanor Molvig ‘25, Eva Choe ‘26, Ismaeel Moskinzada ‘26, Kati Tong ‘25, Ruchika Ramachandran ‘27, Yvonne Wang ‘27, Suzie Zhao ‘28, and Vincen Kehler ‘26 under the guidance of Science Department Chair Anne Dervan and with support of faculty chaperone and English Department Chair Freya Sachs.
Events began early Saturday morning and ran throughout the day, with students rotating among laboratories, testing rooms, and designated build areas across the university’s campus.
USN competed in all 23 events and earned top-six placements in seven of them.
The team took second place in Material Science, third place in Optics, fourth place in Wind Power, fifth place in Helicopter, sixth in Anatomy and Physiology, sixth in Microbe Mission, and sixth in Write It Do It.
However, the day also brought its own set of surprises. Eva Choe ’26, who has participated in Science Olympiad for several years, reflected on how even familiar events can present unexpected challenges.
“I’ve done science Olympiad for a long time now, so not a lot is really new. However, during fossils the structure of the test was quite different, which was definitely more difficult, and a lot more stressful because we had to run to different stations with limited time” said Choe.
While surprises were part of the experience, much of the team’s success came down to careful preparation and teamwork. One of those students, Suzie Zhao ’27, focused her efforts on Microbe Mission, an event that required both memorization and application of microbiology concepts.
“One resource that I found helpful was the science Olympiad website because it had a lot of information about the event and most of that information was also on the study guide. Additionally, it had free practice tests and also provided very helpful links to other websites and national organizations that can supply you with really good information based on whatever topic you’re studying” said Zhao.
As the team reflected on the experience, many emphasized the immense coordination required to make the day run smoothly. Team members had to juggle various events and logistics, and collaboration was key to managing it all.
WELL-DESERVED BREAK: Science Olympiad team members relax in the bus after competing. (via Peabody Press)
“The whole team had to work together in order to support each other and stay on top of things,” Ruchika Ramachandran ‘27 said. “For example, because people had various events at different times, we each had to keep track of where our events were, how long it would take to walk to the building they were located in, when to eat lunch, and what materials we needed for our events.”
This year’s results reflect a steady progression over the season, beginning with January’s invitational rounds and finishing in the state finals. The Science Olympiad program continues to grow at USN, this year with many eager students joining and competing, being a place offering students the opportunity to develop scientific skills in an applied and competitive environment.
The tournament not only marked the culmination of a year’s worth of work, but also a celebration of the passion for science that defines the USN team. For many team members, the experience was about more than the competition, but was a chance to apply months of preparation and to collaborate with their peers.
As Ramachandran shared, the effort required to succeed in each event demanded focus, teamwork, and perseverance.
“The entire team had to put an unreal amount of time and deliberate planning into preparing for the competition for it to run as smoothly and successfully as it did,” she added
Editor’s Note: The author is a member of the Science Olympiad team.
