The Lyme-Old Lyme Science Olympiad team was jubilant last Saturday at the State Championship where they won first place and qualified to attend the National Science Olympiad to be held on May 17-18, in Dayton, Ohio.
The Lyme-Old Lyme team, which consists of both middle as well as high school students, enthusiastically competed in a total of 23 events in science, technology and engineering. Judges for each of the individual events carefully evaluated each entry in the contest that was held at Irving Robbins Middle School, Farmington, Conn.
Events such as “Keep the Heat”, “Mission Possible”, “Boomilever”, “Anatomy”, “Experimental Design”, “Rocks and Minerals”, “Reach for the Stars”, “Helicopters”, “Crime Busters”, “Forestry” and “Mousetrap Car” kept the Lyme-Old Lyme team in a frenzy of activity all day long.
Students and coaches from the Lyme-Old Lyme team have worked relentlessly to prepare for this state championship since October 2012. This after-school science club led by Shannon Glorioso, Lucy Walter and John Walter were assisted by a team of Lyme-Old Lyme High School students: Meredith Britton, Maddie Williams, Thomas Roth, and Rob Melchreit. Ashley Glorioso and several dedicated parents have also been instrumental in the team’s success.
The coaches, who have been working with a team of 6th through 9th graders, have met with the students two to three times a week after school, as well as at weekends to prepare for the event. Coaches Walter and Glorioso continue to be impressed with the team effort and Glorioso comments, “We are so excited that a legacy of teamwork between our high school and middle school students continues to flourish.”
These two science teachers began competing in Science Olympiad tournaments six years ago so that they could share their own enthusiasm, passion and love for science with like-minded students. Their efforts paid off at last year’s state tournament when the Lyme-Old Lyme team won first place in that competition.
This year, the team repeated its success giving parents and coaches of the Lyme-Old Lyme students the opportunity to celebrate the team’s hard work as the students ran up to the medal podium a total of 26 times in the 23-event competition!
Glorioso added, “The team is very excited to be given the opportunity to compete nationally and wishes to extend its thanks to Benchmark Wealth Management for their gracious support of our Science Olympiad team. We have been able to reach a new level of excellence this year and look forward to continuing with this amazing path of learning.”
Congratulations!!!! What an awesome example these teams and their coaches are setting.
Congrats to the team and many thanks to their Coaches for taking the time to nurture and guide the science side of our community. Thanks as well to our school administrators and the Region 18 School Board for wisely and strongly supporting such important projects.
As we hear President Obama, Gov. Malloy and other leaders call for “more STEM students” it is rewarding to know that our community is taking these calls to action to heart and responding with outstanding programs that empower students to consistently perform at the top at the local, state and NATIONAL levels.
Lyme-Old Lyme is establishing a real trend for other communities to model.
Best wishes at the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!