Green Vale’s science lab was filled with enthusiasm, as the students who are part of the Science Olympiad program dove into the captivating world of scientific exploration and discovery.
Guided by the dynamic leadership of GVS Upper School Teachers Kristin Nastos, Caitlin Madden, and Hailey Giordano, this nationwide STEM competition was offered as an after school enrichment program to students in 5th to 8th Grade. Uniting their passion for science and problem-solving, the aim for these science buffs was clear: to dive into all 23 challenging scientific events offered at this year’s regional competition at Kellenberg Memorial High School on March 8.
Nastos explained, “Science Olympiad is a chance for students to work as a team, collaborate, display their academic prowess, and to show that their talents lie beyond physical pursuits. It also allows students from different grade levels to work with others that they wouldn’t normally interact with. I have cross-collaboration across the board.”
At Green Vale, the teams were fully immersed in their preparations. Students engaged in constructing towers, planes, and wheeled vehicles, conducting forensic and chemistry experiments, and delved deep into detailed topics like Anatomy, Earth Science, Astronomy, Meteorology, and Ecology.
This year, GVS competed against 41 other teams, with 40 students participating in the event. Several of our students earned medals for their achievements: Allie Liu (7th) and Davis Vitols (7th) placed 4th in Entomology and 7th in Fossils, while Graham Koski (5th) and Charlotte Lam (5th) took 8th place in Scrambler—a competition where students engineered a car carrying an egg, calibrating the distance to avoid breaking it upon impact with a wall.
Their hard work and dedication exemplified the spirit of Science Olympiad, proving that curiosity and perseverance can lead to incredible accomplishments.