High School Science Olympiad Attracts a Crowd

This year for the first time, the district's Science Olympiad was open to students in grades nine through 12, resulting in waht David Casamento, the district's director of science and instructional technology, called "a huge success."

More than 120 students were involved in the event Thursday, January 21, and the Science Olympiad team from J. Taylor Finley Middle School was on the scene as observers.

"This was the first year the competition was open to all students in grades 9 to 12," Mr. Casamento said. "The results were surprising and exciting at the same time."

Freshmen won the Rube Goldberg and catapult/trajectory competitions as Amber Linder, Matthew Beeby and Collin Richardson earned top honors. Sophomores Brad Dwyer and Brielle captured the bridge building contest and juniors Kirsten Frieman and Michelle Byrne grabbed first place in ornithology. Seniors Justin Greenidge and Dan Rabinowitz used their superior knowledge to win the "Write It/Do It" category.

"In addition, for the first time this year, our sophomore science bowl team beat our senior science bowl team," Mr. Casamento said.

Science teachers Craig McKee, Joe Cohen, Lori Pyzocha, Roseann Brienza, Christina Efaplomatides, Tom Masone, Ed Florea, Dame Forbes and student teacher Gloria Gill, helped insure the night's success.
 
The final results included:
 
Ornithology
1. Kirsten Freiman and Michelle Byrne
2. Rebecca Silverman and Caitlin Etri
3. Alexis Weitzner and Kerri Ann Giambruno
 
Bridge Building
1. Brad Dwyer and Brielle Blatt
2. Jose Cordero-Salazar, Luis Cordero-Salazar and Melvin Argueta-Quintanilla
3. Ryan Mulligan and Matt Curley
 
Catapult
1. Matthew Beeby and Collin Richardson
2. Joe D'Esposito and Tom Corrao
3. Cole Cook
 
Write It/Do It
1. Justin Greenidge and Dan Rabinowitz
2. Alexa Giammarino and Olivia Weller
3. Thomas Hardardt and Jake Goldstein
 
Rube Goldberg
1. Amber Linder
2. Danielle Cerezo, Evan Prior and Mikah Feldman-Stein
3. Amy Eisen, Aly Kiley and Jonah Kramer