On Saturday Jan. 14, the members of Science Olympiad traveled to Rockford, Illinois for their invitational competition held at Auburn High School.

The team has been preparing for their events since August 2016, and the hard work and dedication is paying off. Varsity Astronomy and Dynamic Planet participants took second place, Chem Lab and Microbe Mission took third, and Remote Sensing took fifth.

Junior Varsity members also earned recognition in over 10 events: Anatomy and Physiology, Experimental Design, Forensics, Helicopter, Invasive Species, Remote Sensing, Towers all took first place, Dynamic Planet and Electric Vehicle took second, and Chem Lab took third.

The work has not stopped yet; however, as both Varsity and Junior Varsity teams prepare for the regional competition coming up in March. There is a lot of work to be done before York is ready to take on their competition, but the coaches remain positive and encouraging of the team.

“I hope you come away inspired to do even better at the regional!” said Mr. Jeremy Paschke, coach, in a message to everyone.

Members of Varsity who succeed at regionals will have a shot at the state competition, where the best of Illinois come to prove themselves.

Science Olympiad is not about luck or skill. It’s about perseverance and hard work, learning to work with others, and finding intuitive solutions to the problems presented, all the while learning something new in the process. Those that work hard will find success.