On Saturday, March 22, Science Olympiad placed fourth overall at their State competition, which is the highest they have ever placed.

“When being called for fourth place at State my stomach sank. With having only about nine top placings in 23 events, the placing was a shock. The placing at State really proved that the season was not a waste; it shows much potential in the years to come as we have a very young [freshman and sophomore] team. We’ve had a really great season, placing high at nearly every competition. Not only was this Lake Central’s highest placing, but that great feeling we had was only enhanced when we found out that three of the top five schools in the state were from the Region,” Robert Belzeski (11) said.

The time put into preparing for the State competition was extensive. Some students stayed for only a couple hours after school, but other stayed up to seven hours after the final bell rang.

“Imagine studying for the hardest test of your life of which you only have a broad topic to study for, let’s say Chemistry, all year and not knowing what it going to be on the test. That’s [how much work I put in for State] times 20,” Tyler Mitchuson (12) said.

Even though the time spent preparing for State was long and might have been difficult for some, but the outcome gave relief and the time spent together made members closer than ever.

“Science Olympiad is my life basically. With being able to compete with the most intelligent kids in the state over topics you usually love it’s exhilarating and one of the best feelings in the world. [The Science Olympiad members] aren’t just teammates or friends, they are family. [They are] the ones you always would want to be around, and would run across a mile long college campus in the snow just to bring them goggles so they can compete,” Mitchuson said.

Anyone interested in joining Science Olympiad in the future should talk to Mrs. Mary Joan Martin, Science, in room 9213.

“My advice for others who want to join [Science Olympiad] is: try it. We don’t bite, and we aren’t going to hurt you. If you’re up for a challenge, and a lot of fun, Science Olympiad is the club for you. If you have any interest in science, come see what it’s about. The number one thing in order to succeed: don’t give up. If something seems to hard, let it sit for a while, go help someone else, and get back to it. It will help your focus and stop the tunnel vision,” Raymond Pollalis (11) said.