Clinton High Earns National Spirit Award at Science Olympiad

The incredible year Clinton has had this year is one for the record books. Athletic teams have excelled throughout the year (with baseball playing for a state championship on Tuesday), artistic accomplishments have been strong the last couple of years, and academic championships have been a steady stream at both the middle and high school as well.

This past Saturday, Clinton Middle and High Schools competed at the National Science Olympiad at Wichita State University. Although small in size, Clinton casts a large shadow in Science Olympiad.

The middle school earned three top twenty-five finishes in the following events:

● Fast Facts: Jacob King and Ada Tiller (24th)

The team also had two other Top Forty finishes:

The team defeated nine other state champions in the competition often known as “an academic track meet,” including the teams from New Mexico, Nebraska, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Montana, Arizona, Arkansas, Wyoming, and Alaska.

Clinton High School had several Top Forty finishes as well in the following events:

CHS defeated other state champions from four states, including Nebraska, Vermont, Arkansas, and Louisiana; however, the biggest award was the recognition distinguishing Clinton High School as this year’s recipient of the Spirit Award.

The Spirit Award is given to the team that recognizes “the spirit, the essence of what Scence Olympiad was intended to be.” The award focuses on teamwork, a respect for event supervisors and competitors, and the characteristics of “helping, caring, learning, and sharing” the qualities that make Science Olympiad the premier pursuit of academic excellence according to co-founder Sharon Putz.

Ms. Putz proudly said the following about Clinton High School, “I look forward to seeing these people on stage because this school has been in for many years and has been striving, caring–the students, the coaches, and the community that supports them have been very important to the program growing in their town.”

The team and two of its coaches proudly walked on stage to the applause of all other competitors in the arena. The moments on stage showered grateful appreciation to the community which we represented as well as a pride in knowing competition can be fierce but friendly.

The Clinton Science Olympiad program is the investment in dreams yet unrealized and nurtured in the soil of respect, good manners, and a warm southern disposition.

The team wishes to express their appreciation to its many sponsors and wellwishers. In the words of Taylor Hicks (American Idol winner, Season 5), the teams ask the question, “Do I make you proud?”