Clinton High School competed in the South Carolina Science Olympiad on Saturday, March 20, 2021 against sixteen other teams across the state. Although this year’s competition was virtual, the result provided the CHS team to recapture the state championship. Last year, there was no competition due to COVID and the year before, Academic Magnet (Charleston) took the crown from Clinton High.
This year’s team waited two long years for the chance to regain the crown (having been state champion nine previous times since 2009).
Clinton High Scient Olympiad Team – SC Champs for the 10th time since 2009
The Clinton team left little room for doubt winning the competition with a low score of 39 points (low score wins, like golf). River Bluff (Lexington) was second with 59 points and Academic Magnet claimed third with 60 points.
The Clinton Team won gold medals in four events: Codebusters, Experimental Design, Fossils, and Water Quality; two silvers, in Disease Detective and Dynamic Planet; and bronze in three events, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry Lab, and Forensics. The team also earned two fifth place medals in Astronomy and Designer Genes. Only one event, Ornithology, finished out of the top five.
The top ten teams in the competition were in reverse order: 10th place: Spring Valley High School; 9th place: Irmo High School, 8th place:Scholars Academy, 7th place: Chapin High School, 6th place: West Ashley High School, 5th place: Spring Hill High School, 4th place: Dutch Fork, 3rd place: Academic Magnet, 2nd place: River Bluff and, the champions, Clinton High School (in 1st place).
Having won the state, the team now turns its attention to Nationals…which too will be virtual in mid-to-late May at Arizona State University. Although the team will not leave for Arizona as in years past, they will soon resume their efforts to make the Palmetto State proud of their efforts.
This marks the tenth time since 2009 CHS has won the state competition.
In a district where “The Experience Matters” is the motto, the experience gained from learning on weekends and evenings and from juggling activities and sports while continuing to seek additional study time.proved the experience of winning doesn’t get old in Clinton.
Coaches for the team include Terri O’Shields, head coach, Dr. Stan Walsh, Dr. Jason Smith, Mr. Kevin Cox.Mr. Michael Mack, Mr. Brandon Wolfe, Ms. Ami Vaughn, Mr. David Bell, Mr. Shane Nelson, Ms. Rachel Vonderegeest, and Dr. David O’Shields.
Team members include Mason Pysell (12th grade), Asheton Wilbanks (12th grade); Joey Ardelt (11th grade), Jack Brent (11th grade), Grin Darden (11th grade), Gracie Wiggins (11th grade); Anna Kiley (10th grade) Shane Nelson (10th grade), and Rachel Vondergeest (10th grade).
Congratulations to the team and their coaches on another outstanding effort.
