Teenagers in colorful T-shirts, lab coats, and winter jackets scurry across the Neumann University campus, shivering against the unrelenting March wind. “Bachmann 348”, “robot arm”, and other snippets of conversation flit through the air.

Many students carrying boxes, sheets of paper, pencils, and calculators slow to a stop as they pass a small group of students and yellow-clad event supervisors crowding around a clear plastic soda bottle with various attachments of wood and tape.

Pop! The bottle rocket shoots into the air, and fifty heads jerk up, squinting against the sun to follow the rocket’s path. Several seconds later, the rocket lands against the sidewalk, snapping in half, and bounces onto the grass. A collective ooh carries across the field and seems to jolt the observers back to Earth. Most students resume speed-walking toward the Bachmann Main Building.

That was just one event on a busy March 2 at the 2016 Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Science Olympiad Tournament. Over 400 students, coming from 34 high schools and 25 middle schools, squeezed into Neumann University’s Mirenda Center gymnasium for the start and end of the competition. 15 students represented each school in 23 science-themed events ranging from Bridge Building to Cell Biology to Forensics.

The Harriton Science Olympiad team has over 50 participants and is led by captains John Powell and Connor Todd and coaches Mr. Gauvin, Ms. Lesch, Mr. MacNichol, and Mr. Powers. Since 1994, the team has won the state championship 19 times and placed among the top ten teams at Nationals every year.

At regionals on March 2, Harriton won first place in ten events, as well as in two trial events, and top four in six additional events. The team placed second overall, after Bayard Rustin High School. That qualified Harriton for the state competition, hosted by Juniata College on April 23.

Penncrest High School, Conestoga High School, Lower Merion High School, Strath Haven High School, and Garnet Valley High School placed third through seventh, respectively, and also qualified for States. Meanwhile, Bala Cynwyd Middle School, Strath Haven Middle School, and Welsh Valley Middle School placed first, second, and third, respectively, in the middle school division, and five other middle school teams qualified for the States competition.

The Harriton team experienced mixed feelings of success and disappointment after the tournament results were announced. Captain Connor Todd summarized, “It’s disappointing to come in second after coming in first in regionals last year. It’s a little bit unexpected, but overall it was a very strong showing, and I’m very proud of everyone on the team.”

Head coach Mr. Gauvin concurred: “It was disappointing coming in second, but that does nothing more than motivate us to work harder.” They will take that energy to states at Juniata on April 23.