The first question that occurred to me when I gained the opportunity to interview the President of our Science Olympiad team, Karthik L., was “Can we steal your brain for next year?” Although he said that he would probably need to keep it for college, he did have some advice for future Science Olympians as well as other tidbits about his experience in the club.
What advice would you give incoming Science Olympians, and what methods of studying have you found most effective?
“My biggest advice is to not procrastinate. If a student succeeds at tryouts, they have the aptitude for Science Olympiad. However, whether building or studying, they need to get stuff done ahead of time so that they are beyond prepared for competitions. As for how I study, the amazing teachers at our school along with the Internet are probably the most valuable resources.”
What challenges have you faced this year as President?
As President, I struggled with creating a cohesive team and motivating people to work hard. I could not impart my own passion and competitive spirit into others.
(Well Karthik, I hope you know that everyone still thinks you were a great president.)
How do you feel the team handled the emergencies that inevitably arose in the competitions?
The team handled the build emergencies amazingly. For example, the helicopter broke at states, but our members overcame the stress of the situation and made an amazing performance (23rd out of 54 teams).
What would you say to people who are interested in joining Science Olympiad but think that it is a club only for “nerds?”
At Science Olympiad, we always welcome anyone who would like to help out or participate on the team. Even if some people do not have particularly good study skills for our “nerdy” events, people who enjoy working hands-on can participate in build events such as Towers and Helicopters. Others who are very creative can find a place on quirky but fun events such as Experiment Design, where competitors have to come up with an experiment from the materials they’re given: Write it Do it, where one member writes down how to make something and their partner has to build it as closely as possible to what the first person saw using only the first person’s written instructions; Fermi Questions, where members answer seemingly impossible questions such as ‘How many zombies can fit in a conga line from New York to Florida?’; and Game-on, where members design a computer game based on a given theme. Being “nerdy” does help, but Science Olympiad is a diverse club with a lot to offer anyone who is willing to work hard and push their boundaries.
What were your favorite and least favorite events from your Science Olympiad career?
My favorite event was Anatomy and Physiology because I love studying the inner working of the human body -- one of the most complex systems in the universe. My least favorite event was Geological Mapping because I do not like earth science very much and do not like drawing and analyzing geologic maps.
What was your favorite moment from this year?
My favorite moment was winning first place in Anatomy and Physiology because I love nothing more than destroying the competition.
What was the funniest moment?
The funniest moment was when we realized we forgot our banner for the parade at the award ceremony, so some of the team members made signs out of Swedish Fish and Goldfish that ended up looking even better than the original banner.
What will you miss the most?
I will miss going to competitions, including the boisterous bus rides, the competitive nature of our events, the silliness of our breaks, and the suspense of the award ceremonies. Most of all, however, I will miss the team that grew out of our shared fun and struggles.
Finally, what would you say to convince others to join Science Olympiad?
Science Olympiad, more than anything else, is a family where we wreck our competition and have fun doing it. If you enjoy winning, then join Science Olympiad because you’re exactly the kind of person who will fit in and succeed in this team. To see more about what Science Olympiad is all about, ask anyone on the team or go to soinc.org and check out the events for yourself.
By Amy Z.
Karthik L. and Amy Z. pose at Science Olympiad.