RCS Middle School Science Olympiad team placed 3rd at Regional Competition

This past Saturday, February 11, the RCS Middle School Science Olympiad team placed 3rd in the Capital District Regional Competition! 15 students took the trip to Howard L. Goff Middle School in East Greenbush, where they competed against seven other teams in 22 different events, medaling in over half of them! 

The Science Olympiad Club works throughout the year to practice for competitions like this one. Each event challenges students to think creatively and critically about how to solve the task or problem they were presented with. The team competes and displays their skill sets in understanding the principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) with tasks including coding, biology, earth science, and physics.

“We are a fairly new team with most students being rookies this year, but these students are full of determination and grit,” said RCS 7th & 8th Grade Science Teacher, Science Olympiad Coach, and Capital Region NYS Master Teacher Jennifer Fisk-Jaskolka. “They have stayed late and come in extra hours to fine-tune their skills and prepare for the competition, all on their own accord. I could not be more proud of how they represented themselves and RCS this past weekend. Great job!” 

The team medaled in 16 events - wonderful job! Huge congratulations to the whole team and Coach Fisk-Jaskolka on a job well done, as well as to the following medal winners! 

1st place:
  • Jamie Mantor & Catalina Wheeler in Anatomy and Physiology
  • John Robertson & James Mantor in Road Scholar
  • Ed Voronko & Jack Merrills in Wheeled Vehicle
2nd Place:
  • Ed Voronko & Chinazo Uba in Bridge Building
  • John Robertson & Sam Merrills in Dynamic Planet
  • Jack Merrills & Chinazo Uba in Green Generation
3rd Place:
  • Jack Merrills & John Robertson in Codebusters
  • Irelyn Rinella & Allie Leonard in Crime Busters
4th place:
  • James Mantor & Ryan Keiffer in Crave the Wave
  • Kirsten Molino & Allie Leonard in Disease Detective
  • Avery Ames & Mason Elliot in Forestry
  • Mason Elliot & Sam Merrills in Roller Coaster
5th place:
  • Avery Ames & Kirsten Molino in Bio Process Lab
  • Irelyn Rinella & Kirsten Molino in Meteorology
  • Ed Voronko & Ryan Keiffer in Rocks and Minerals
  • Jamie Mantor & Catalina Wheeler in Sounds of Music