Our Science Olympiad team placed 2nd in North Carolina in 2019, advancing to the National tournament for the first time in WAAS history. In 2022, we placed 2nd in North Carolina and will have the opportunity to represent NC at Nationals for the second time! We placed 3rd in North Carolina in 2018, 4th in 2017 & 2016, 5th in North Carolina in 2015 & 1st in the Wilmington Region in 2015, 2017, 2019-2022.
North Carolina Science Olympiad (NCSO) is a nonprofit organization with the mission to attract and retain the pool of K-12 students entering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees and careers in North Carolina. Every year NCSO hosts tournaments on university, community college, and public school campuses across the state. These tournaments are rigorous academic interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of different hands-on, interactive, challenging and inquiry-based events that are well balanced between the various disciplines of biology, earth science, environmental science, chemistry, physics, engineering and technology. |
Science Olympiad is life changing. The experiences and skills gained through Science Olympiad are instilled within students long after science content and number of medals and trophies fade. Olympiad teaches students teamwork; it teaches them how to lead, perservere and work toward a common goal. Students learn how to appreciate and value failures; we fail, bounce back and fail again all while reflecting on how to improve. On top of rigorous demands of WAAS, we build relationships outside of school. Parent and community coaches invest their time and share their expertise while they mentor and support our team members. Team members benefit from collaborating with other schools across the country. |
2019-2020
Isabel has competed on our Varsity team for three years. She also competed at the Elementary level. She has tackled numerous events, including Anatomy, Mission Possible, Experimental Design, Storm the Castle, Write It Do It, Green Generation - just to name a few! She has earned medals at all level of competition, most recently being 5th in Anatomy, 5th in Experimental Design and 4th in WIDI at States.
SO has meant the world to me. Through all the blood, sweat, tears, failures, and mistakes I have found my passions, tried new things, and most importantly, had fun. I am so grateful for my SO experience for all 5 years at WAAS and will forever cherish these moments. I am honored to have been a part of one of two teams to ever make it to Nationals. My SO experience has truly been a dream come true.
-Isabel Garcia, Class of 2022
Manasi has been a member of our Varsity team for three years. She is always seeking new challenges in her events, which have included Simple Machines, Road Scholar, Sounds of Music, Disease Detectives, Crimebusters, etc! She has earned many medals over the years, most recently 3rd place in Disease Detectives and 2nd place in Sounds of Music at States.
Ashwin has been dedicated to Science Olympiad since Elementary. He has competed in many events, included Crimebusters, Meteorology, Ping Pong Parachute, to name a few. He earned First Place in all three of his events at Regionals in 2020 and has placed First in Meteorology in States.
I learned so much from participating in SO! SO was so much fun because in addition to learning new science, we got to apply science to solve problems. It taught me how to think on my feet, and how to adapt quickly to solve challenges and problems. Participating in SO has given me the confidence that I can face any challenge. But the best part for me was the great time I had hanging out with my friends on the team when we went to tournaments.
-Ashwin Varadarajan, Class of 2020
Johnathan has been a Science Olympiad die hard since 4th Grade. He has competed in several events throughout the years, including Game On, Meteorology, Ornithology, etc! His most recent achievements include First Place in Ornithology and Meteorology at Regionals in 2020. Johnathan earned First Place in all three of his events at States in 2021!
Science Olympiad has taught me how to be sure of myself and be confident in my ideas. It has made me a better test taker and a more confident person overall as it has taught me to trust my gut and to not second guess my decisions. It has also exposed me to topics I had never even considered before, introducing me to new hobbies and communities that I hadn’t know existed but now can’t imagine living without.
-Johnathan Strickland, Class of 2020
Cameron has been a competitive team member for three years, competing in both academic and building events
such as Herpetology, Elastic Launched Glider, Wright Stuff, Bridge, Tower, and Boomilever. Cameron has earned
numerous medals in all of his events, including 3rd Place for Towers and Boomilever at the state level.
such as Herpetology, Elastic Launched Glider, Wright Stuff, Bridge, Tower, and Boomilever. Cameron has earned
numerous medals in all of his events, including 3rd Place for Towers and Boomilever at the state level.
Grace has been a competitive team member for three years, competing in both academic and building events such as
Anatomy & Physiology, Battery Buggy, Ping Pong Parachute, Boomilever, Crimebusters and Optics. Grace has earned
numerous medals in all of her events, including 1st Place for Ping Pong Parachute and Battery Buggy, and 3rd Place for
Boomilever at the state level.
Anatomy & Physiology, Battery Buggy, Ping Pong Parachute, Boomilever, Crimebusters and Optics. Grace has earned
numerous medals in all of her events, including 1st Place for Ping Pong Parachute and Battery Buggy, and 3rd Place for
Boomilever at the state level.
Sahil has been a competitive team member for three years, competing in both academic and building events such as
Crimebusters, Ping Pong Parachute, Potions & Poisons, Meteorology and Food Science. Sahil has earned numerous
medals in all of his events, including 1st Place for Meteorology, most recently including 1st Place for Ping Pong Parachute at
the state level.
Crimebusters, Ping Pong Parachute, Potions & Poisons, Meteorology and Food Science. Sahil has earned numerous
medals in all of his events, including 1st Place for Meteorology, most recently including 1st Place for Ping Pong Parachute at
the state level.
I have never had an experience like Science Olympiad before. The first time I signed up for Science Olympiad in sixth grade I didn’t know what I was in for. I then learned that Science Olympiad was much more than a simple science competition; it was a test of perseverance, determination, and commitment. Science Olympiad taught me how to become a better team player and helped me build friendships. When I was in eighth grade, the best thing happened: we made it to the national tournament. Going to nationals allowed me to experience things and face a level of competition that I have never seen before. Science Olympiad was a journey that I will always cherish and remember throughout my life.
-Sahil Patel, Class of 2019
Ava has been a competitive team member for three years, competing in both academic and inquiry events such as
Anatomy & Physiology, Write It, Do It and Solar System. Ava has earned numerous medals in her events, including 1st Place
for Solar System at the state level.
Anatomy & Physiology, Write It, Do It and Solar System. Ava has earned numerous medals in her events, including 1st Place
for Solar System at the state level.
"Science Olympiad provides opportunities to excel in my interests beyond the classroom. It has proven to me that I am capable of pursuing my passions and given me the confidence to become engaged in STEM research. Even after my seventh year competing, Science Olympiad continues to show me that my dreams are possible.”
-Ava Sauer, Class of 2019
Mason has been a competitive team member for three years, competing in both academic and building events such as
Anatomy & Physiology, Reach for the Stars, Bridge, Disease Detectives and Mission Possible. Mason has earned numerous
medals in Anatomy & Physiology, in addition to 2nd Place for Bridge and 3rd Place for Mission Possible at the state level.
Anatomy & Physiology, Reach for the Stars, Bridge, Disease Detectives and Mission Possible. Mason has earned numerous
medals in Anatomy & Physiology, in addition to 2nd Place for Bridge and 3rd Place for Mission Possible at the state level.
There are thousands of subjects in science, ranging from the structure of the human body to the composition of the earth beneath our feet. Science Olympiad offers an opportunity to learn anything imaginable, including any science material, teamwork, determination, and focus. Science Olympiad isn’t nearly as basic as people believe it to be; it is not only a learning experience, a club that merely adds additional work to your schedule. Science Olympiad teaches important life lessons that are necessary for the future, and has caused me to be successful in and out of school. Science Olympiad was easily the best school decision I have ever made.
-Mason Evans, Class of 2018
Varun has been a competitive team member for three years, competing in rigorous academic events such as
Crimebusters, Food Science and Meteorology, Mystery Architecture and Potions & Poisons. Varun has earned numerous
medals in Crimebusters and Meteorology, in addition to 5th Place for Food Science at the state level.
Crimebusters, Food Science and Meteorology, Mystery Architecture and Potions & Poisons. Varun has earned numerous
medals in Crimebusters and Meteorology, in addition to 5th Place for Food Science at the state level.
Science Olympiad has meant a lot to me over the past three years. By participating in Science Olympiad, I have learned a lot that I could never have learned otherwise. I selected a few topics that I wanted to learn about and tried to learn as much information about these topics as possible over the period of a few months. Science Olympiad is not just a competition; it helps you learn a lot of things that are very useful later in life. I have enjoyed the whole Science Olympiad experience very much and I would like to continue participating in high school.
-Varun Varadarajan, Class of 2018
A WAAS graduate in 2017, David was a competitive team member for three years, competing in events such as Air Trajectory, Mission Possible, Elastic Launched Glider, Wright Stuff, Write It Do It and Duct Tape Challenge. David has earned numerous medals, including 1st Place for Air Trajectory, 3rd Place for Glider, 1st Place for Mission Possible and 2nd Place for Wright Stuff at the state level.
My Science Olympiad experience has taught me an array of life lessons, I feel that the most important has been perseverance and moderation. You may think that SO is just a club for science geeks, but during the competitions, you really get to live up to your full potential and you have the opportunities to experience what pressure and self-discipline feel like. When you are part of Science Olympiad, you get the chance to set your own goals and hopefully achieve them. It goes farther than just building or studying for an event, it really shapes who you are as an individual.
-David Link, WAAS Class of 2017
A WAAS graduate in 2017, Emma was a competitive team member for three years, competing in events such as Bridge,
Towers, Experimental Design, Elastic Launched Glider, Wright Stuff, Write It Do It, Ecology, Picture This and Mystery
Architecture. Emma has earned numerous medals, including 1st Place for Write It, Do It, 2nd Place for Bridge, 2nd Place for
Glider, 3rd Place for Glider and 3rd Place for Towers at the state level.
Science Olympiad has given me an incredible opportunity to learn about things I otherwise wouldn't have and discover things that I didn't know that I could do. Over the three years that I've been involved in SO, I've learned more about both science, leadership, and teamwork than I ever imagined.
-Emma Johnson, WAAS Class of 2017
