Calling all science lovers! This is a once in a lifetime chance to learn about Harriton High School’s renowned Science Olympiad team.

Last year, the team won second place in the C Division at the national competition in Wisconsin. Currently, hopes are high that the new batch of freshmen will be a promising addition to the team.

There are 22 events to compete in for Science Olympiad (colloquially known as SciOly): Ecology, Invasive Species, Microbe Mission, Anatomy and Physiology, Disease Detectives, Hovercraft, Wind Power, Materials Science, Optics, Forensics, Chemistry Lab, Hydrogeology, Game On, Write It Do It, Experimental Design, Electric Vehicle, Towers, Helicopters, Rocks and Minerals, Remote Sensing, Dynamic Planet, and last but not least, Astronomy.

For those of you thinking about joining the club next year, take it from a member of the team who was willing to give her perspective of Science Olympiad anonymously: “You learn a lot of stuff, and you make new friends, and then you compete.”

However, Science Olympiad is not simply about having a happy-go-lucky spirit. Competitions, whether a regulatory invitational or the national itself, can be quite intense.

In the past, Harriton’s Science Olympiad team has been very successful, earning first place in the state competition 18 out of the past 19 years. Led by captains Chris Kartsonis and Jordan Shapiro and coaches Mr. Gauvin, Mr. Powers, Mr. Tudor, Mr. MacNichol, and Ms. Lesch this year, the team is confident it will maintain its streak.

To view more information about Harriton’s team and Science Olympiad in general, visit scioly.org for the history of past competitions or go to soinc.org, the official website of Science Olympiad, to read about the events in depth. Even if you don’t have a desire to compete, helping to prepare for competitions is always a great way to contribute to the team.

The first competition of the year – an invitational at Conestoga High School – is creeping up quickly along the calendar, so the team is preparing vigorously to make it a worthwhile encounter.