Clinton High and Clinton Middle Complete SC Science Olympiad Sweep

As Yoda may have said in a galaxy far, far away but more clearly and concisely articulated by the Clinton Anatomy teams’ coach, Dr. Stan Walsh, “No longer is there a disturbance in the force. The balance returns and a new streak begins.”

Last year was unexpected…the CMS Science Olympiad team did not win state for the first time since 2003. 

This time, the team left nothing to chance or a repeat of that fate. Although limited to only a few teams this year (again because of COVID) like last year, this team took no prisoners…winning seventeen of twenty-three events and securely planting the state championship in Clinton.

Every student on the team of eighteen won at least one medal. The middle school team won first place and left no doubt. Team members with their number of gold, silver, or bronze medals are Jackie Alcudia (1, 2, 0), Kaelyn Bell (1, 1, 0), Liam Bell (1, 1, 2), Rylee Bell (2, 1, 0), Lauren Ficklin (2, 1, 0), Sam Hunt (3, 1, 0), Salaam Jenkins (2, 2, 0), Jacob King (2, 2, 0), Matthew King (4, 0, 0), Shayne Kiselak (2, 0, 0), Hank Lanford (1, 0, 0), Kelly Nelson (0, 1, 2), Sidney Nelson (1, 0, 1), Junia Nolan (1, 1, 0), Arohi Patel (3, 0, 0), Ada Tiller (4, 1, 0), Ben Wiggins (2, 0, 0), and Marlee Williamson (1, 3, 0).

The high school Science Olympiad team faced very stiff competition from teams across the state–Academic Magnet (Charleston), Aiken Scholars Academy, Chapin, Dutch Fork, Irmo, Lexington, River Bluff, Spring Hill, Spring Valley, and West Ashley.

Once the dust settled near dusk, the high school team stood at the top of the competition, joining their middle school peers, as state champions. The CHS team won seven first-place events (gold medals), two second-place events (silver medals), and six third-place events (bronze medals).

First place events and gold medalists include:

• Chemistry Lab [Grin Darden and Rachel Vondergeest]
• Disease Detectives (Epidemiology) [Shane Nelson and Rachel Vondergeest]
• Dynamic Planet (Earth Science: Earth’s Fresh Waters) [Joey Ardelt and Shane Nelson]
• Experimental Design [Keegan Fortman, Rachel Vondergeest, Gracie Wiggins]
• Forensics [ Julieta Garcia and Anna Litzenberger]
• It’s About Time (a physics event where participants build a time device capable of keeping time to the second as well as complete a test on concepts of space and time) [Joey Ardelt and Grin Darden] and
• Rocks and Minerals [Grin Darden and Becca King]

Second place events and silver medalists include:

• Anatomy and Physiology [Anna Litzenberger and Rachel Vondergeest]
• Bridge Building [Keegan Fortman and Gracie Wiggins}

Third place events and bronze medalists include:

• Cell Biology [Grin Darden and Rachel Vondergeest]
• Detector Building [Jules Darden and Maddox Wilbanks]
• Environmental Chemistry [Becca King and Shane Nelson]
• Ping Pong Parachute [Keegan Fortman and Gracie Wiggins]
• WiFi Lab [Jules Darden and Julieta Garcia]
• Wright Stuff [Keegan Fortman and Gracie Wiggins]

In addition to the podium places, CHS also had four fourth-place finishes.

Science Olympiad is a competition Clinton schools (Bell Street/Clinton Middle and Clinton High) have done since 1986. Mr. Michael Mack, the current AP Biology teacher at CHS, brought Science Olympiad to District 56.

Bell Street/Clinton Middle has won the state championship twenty times since 1986; Clinton High School, eleven times.

Science Olympiad is an all-day, twenty-three event competition encompassing all areas of science, engineering, technology, and math. Events change annually marking the fact of Clinton’s continued excellence in science all the more amazing.

Coach Terri O’Shields does double duty serving as head coach of both the Clinton Middle and the Clinton High School teams. Coach O’Shields says, “Science Olympiad is more than a team competition; it is the intentional building of a family of learners, a commitment to excellence, and a recognition that success takes sacrifice and dedication.”

Coach O’Shields also thanked the many coaches who helped with the teams over the year–Lawrence Coleman, Kevin Cox, Jimmy Jacobs, Allison Lanford, Jimbo Langston, Michael Mack, Ami Meadors, Patrick Nelson, Shane Nelson, Dr. David O’Shields, Maggie O’Shields, Mason Pysell, Katie Scarlett, Scott Shiflet, Dr. Jason Smith, Dianne Summer, Ami Vaughn, Rachel Vondergeest, Dr. Stan Walsh, and Brandon Wolfe.

“Without public support and special attention from a dedicated cast of knowledgeable and willing-to-learn coaches, the team would not be where it is today,” Ms. O’Shields continued. “Science Olympiad is a year-long commitment. This year was extremely difficult due to no in-person invitationals or extrinsic incentives. We had great hopes to attend several invitationals but COVID put a stop to that; however, the team stayed together and worked weekend after weekend and on weeknights.”

“Clinton is a relatively small high school, much smaller than most of those we compete against. Our students are very involved in so many other activities that Science Olympiad has to remain a priority…even when students are juggling multiple sports, clubs, or teams. You have to learn to use time effectively and not procrastinate. Students choose Science Olympiad because of their curiosity or desire to learn. As long as students remain interested, I think Clinton will be a force for years to come,” Ms. O’Shields cautiously admitted.

Well at least for this year, the balance has returned to Science City, South Carolina (aka Clinton). Great job to both teams and their coaches on bringing home the first place trophies. These two new trophies have many friends to meet in their respective trophy cases.

Both teams will compete virtually for nationals during the weekend of May 13 – 15, 2022. Cal Tech is the host site for the 2022 Science Olympiad. 

For more on the history of the South Carolina Science Olympiad, please check out the following source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Science_Olympiad . Former CMS and CHS teammate, Patrick Nelson, edits and posts to this site on an as-needed basis.

Click on the images below to see two very happy teams!