Science Olympiad is a STEM-based competition with teams of students competing in 25 events. Oakcrest School has three teams with a total of 35 students— a Middle School team and two Upper School teams, white and green. Events range in a variety of different subject areas, from physical and biological sciences, to food science and engineering. 

Dr. Kat Hussmann, a science teacher at Oakcrest, says that in addition to the STEM knowledge that students gain through their participation in Science Olympiad, the team also helps foster relationships between the students and encourage teamwork.

At the Regional Competition in February, both the Upper School and Middle School teams placed in several events, receiving medals in categories such as Code Busters, Chem Lab, Experimental Design and Data Analysis, Forensics, Gravity Vehicle, and Ping Pong Parachute. 

The team’s success at the regional level advanced them once again to the State Competition, which took place in March 2022 at the University of Virginia. Dr. Hussmann said that the team was excited to bond in competing at such a high level and do events in a college space. 

As the team looks forward to the next school year, Dr. Hussmann added that they hope to continue to grow stronger as a team and participate in more competitions in the future. 

Oakcrest remains committed to STEM in the classroom, as part of the school’s educational vision and liberal arts focus. To learn more about STEM at Oakcrest, visit the STEM page on our website.