Riveting; legendary; jaw dropping—these words could be used to describe the 2004 ALCS, a confusing Salvador Dali painting, Jesus, and now? Physics Olympics. Mr. Schwartz, the resident Harriton magician, has used his powers to turn the team from contender to contender. Not many could compete with this unblemished record.
At 2:15 every B thru D day, Mr. Schwartz’s room transforms from a place in which students come to learn into a place in which others learn about students. Glass cages sprout around the edges and comical attendants appear to feed the ravenous workers. The Physics Olympics zoo is a land of danger, flying balloons, smashing pumpkins, and of course, Mr. Schwartz’s one-of-a-kind physics one-liners.
Senior Tyler Schechter describes the experience as “delicious—one unparalleled by anything else I’ve done before. Mr. Schwartz is da bomb-diggidy-squish, the father I’ve always wanted, and the model for all my fashion. He’s like God, but different.”
The team is not built solely on the back of seniors, however, with juniors forming an integral unit of the team. Kai Tang-Chang, also known as “the man who probably knows physics,” calls Physics Olympics “the sunshine that makes me sparkle.”
Physics Olympics’ rapid rise atop the Harriton totem pole has drawn the ire of rival clubs and organizations. David Schupper, the Vice President of Stock Club as well as a captain for Physics Olympics (a dual-sport athlete), says, “Stock Club has quickly lost members to the exciting, unmatchable juggernaut that is Physics Olympics. I don’t know how to compete anymore.”
This weekend, Physics Olympics had its first test of the season: the bus ride to Penncrest for the first competition. The team mascot, Batman, was almost too buff to fit into his seat and questionable radio decisions by the bus driver left everyone thinking “is this really school appropriate, and if so, why have teachers been lying to me all these years?”
In any case, the team arrived at the “Lion’s Den” (those clever Penncrest students) and proceeded to whip up some magic. In the Penny Plane competition, Harriton’s top model flew around the judges’ heads three times before moving in the forward direction. It was also the second best plane of the day.
Caveat to all of the younger readers out there; success is purely relative.
Harriton did not let this spectacular finish inflate their already inflated egos, however, as they continued to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise. In the Mystery Lab competition, Harriton relied on the infallible “guess-and-check” technique, with a twist; they were allowed only one guess. Confidently, the students went ahead anyway and showed their genius with a top tier finish.
The longest event of the day, Problem Solving, appeared to be in disarray in the early stages. Senior Bryan Ellis almost managed to convince the team that he had the right answer. Luckily, juniors Michael Schaffer and Max Norris thwarted his attempt at internal unrest. After this near-fiasco, the team recovered and with procrastination skills that only a high school student could muster; they finished the majority of the problems in the final thirty minutes. In an impressive display, Harriton tied for first in Problem Solving.
Kelsey Caesar, a senior, was devastated by the news that the all-powerful pumpkin drop would be delayed due to “questionable weather.” When she found out her “baby” would not take a leap of faith, a scream of anguish was heard ‘round the world.
Nonetheless, Harriton flashed true grit and finished a close second for the day. They look forward to making up this deficit at the next Olympics, scheduled for some time in the winter, and are working hard to perfect their crafts.
Senior Peter Downs notes, “I think the key to improving my personal success is to show up. I can only influence the events so much by telepathic communication, and until my teammates get on my wavelength, I’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way.”