Science Olympiad Team

Gina Lin
CHS Class of 24

(11/2022) Science Olympiad, one of many academic clubs at Catoctin High School, has been running for seven years. This program functions much like athletics, demanding devotion and practice from team members and coaches. Another similarity it shares with sports is the structure of competition. Science Olympiad competes at two invitationals, which are essentially practice rounds– one at the National Cathedral School and the other at the University of Maryland. Afterwards, teams will compete at Montgomery College for the regionals, in February. The top teams from regionals will qualify for states, which are held at Johns Hopkins University. In state competitions, only one team will advance to the Science Olympiad National Tournament. Catoctin has prevailed in regionals and qualified for the state competition three times. Science Olympiad competitions consist of 23 "events''.

Each event surrounds a component of STEM, such as the sciences(biology, chemistry, and physics), engineering, and computer science. "Forensics" is an event categorized under Physical Science and Chemistry. Forensics poses a scenario and suspects to contestants. Under the Technology and Engineering section, contestants will have to fulfill "Detector Building." The goal of Detector building is to design and assemble a mass/force sensing device that is capable of calculating and showing precise masses of solid objects from 20 to 1,000 grams. The players are expected to perform multiple tests and gather other evidence to solve the crime!

Additionally, the events are composed of testing parts(such as anatomy and physiology), labs(chemistry), and written sections with varying difficulty levels. Science Olympiad requires much planning, working, and building outside of competitions from very self-motivated students, as each event is allocated 50 minutes. For example, freshman Warren Phoenix Shafer is building a ham radio that is able to communicate with people across the globe– he even discussed the war with an individual from Ukraine!

This year’s Science Olympiad team is advised by Doug Young and Rebecca Hurley. Unfortunately, the team will not be able to compete in states this year, as the 15 minimum of team members required for states has not been satisfied. But, it is not too late to join. Interested Catoctin High students can reach out to the advisors for more information. The Catoctin Science Olympiad is relatively young, with six contestants–only two of which are veteran competitors. Despite that, Coach Young maintains that every members’ brightness and diligence will lead to successful completion of individual events. There simply aren't enough players to effectively complete all events. Young believes that Science Olympiad provides many benefits for students such as, " Everyone learn[s] about their personal interests, not in a classroom environment." Junior Willow Kint, returning for her third year of Science Olympiad, commented on a positive aspect of the program, " I like being able to work with other people that have the same interests as me." Young was reluctant to discuss competitions last year as it was " virtual and disorganized."

After a year of virtual competition, Science Olympiad has resumed in-person contests. The Science Olympiad has produced many successful alumni. For example, Sean Miller, designed a functioning robotic arm that could knock objects into a target. Currently, Miller practices software engineering in New Hampshire. Another distinguished alumni of Science Olympiad is Cailey Williams. Williams pursued a marine biology degree at a Floridian university and currently works in managing the spread of invasive species.

FFA members and chapters from all over Maryland competed at the Maryland State FFA Convention, in June. Catoctin FFA (Future Farmers of America) placed first at states and will be represented at the National FFA Convention, held from October 23rd-29th. CHS FFA took first in four categories: Agriculture Sales CDE, Agriculture Marketing CDE, Agriculture Issues CDE, Livestock Judging, and Extemporaneous Speaking. The five teams, with a total of 20 members, will continue to showcase their skills at the National Convention. "I like that FFA has a lot of unity and diversity of ideas– that is the strength of our chapter." FFA Officer Savannah Rideneuor commented.

The Ag Sales team retailed the herbicides and fungicides that they studied. The team consists of sophomore Annalise Abruzzese, junior Katilyn Bentz, sophomore Alyssa Costa, and junior Carly Rideneour. The Ag Marketing team was charged with developing marketing strategies to assist Red Dust Farms. The team consists of sophomore Shane Milbourne, Kiandra Strickhouser (2022 graduate), and Kolton Whetzel(2022 graduate).

The Ag Issues Team analyzed synthetically cultivated meat and created a presentation to describe their findings. The team consists of six members: junior Ella Burrier, Sheridan Chaney(2022 graduate), sophomore Caroline Clark, junior Owen Cook, senior Abby Moreland, and sophomore Trinity Spidle.

The Livestock Judging team competed in August, at state competitions. Senior Ellie Baker, junior Peyton Davis, junior Luke Iferd, and senior Colt Sanders, were included in the team. Contestants were challenged with scrutinizing eight classes of livestock and presenting critiques of their evaluations, to the judges. Additionally, Kendall Abruzzese was dubbed the Senior Extemporaneous Speaker at the state competition.

The Extemporaneous Speaker is allotted 30 minutes to draft an impromptu speech; and subsequently deliver the speech. Furthermore, seven Catoctin members received their American FFA Degree– the highest honor issued by a state: Kendall Abruzesse, Rianna Chaney, Sheridan Chaney, Kiandra Strickhouser, Cheyenne Van Echo, and Kolton Whetzel. Kendall Abruzzese really is an outstanding FFA member, as she was elected to the 2022-2023 Maryland State FFA President!

Contestants who worked equally as hard but didn’t place first at the Maryland State Convention, should also be acknowledged. The FFA Knowledge team, consisting of Ella Burrier, Rianna Chaney, Sheridan Chaney, and Caroline Clark, placed second. The team worked collectively in completing a written assessment regarding the history of FFA. In the Junior Prepared Speaking competition, Trinity Spidle presented her speech and claimed third place.

The National FFA Organization’s mission statement is, "...making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education." The Catoctin High School FFA chapter provides a great reflection of those values and will continue to make a difference at the National Convention. The Catoctin FFA is seeking contributions from generous donors throughout the community. If you would like to assist in covering expenses, please contact the Catoctin FFA advisor, Amy Jo Poffenberger, at 240-236-8100.