The Black and White

by Henry Iech

On January 25th, 2025, the Pilgrim High School Science Olympiad team showcased their scientific skills and teamwork at the regional competition, facing some of the most challenging courses and competitive students from across the country. Despite the intense competition, however, the team never failed to demonstrate remarkable resilience, teamwork, and passion for science.

After school, you’d find the team in Dr. Savery’s class long after the last bell rings. In one corner, someone is carefully gluing together a delicate tower structure, while across the room, another teammate is rigging a miniature windmill to generate volts. Nearby, a student is meticulously burning samples for forensics, while another is researching fossils and insects, carefully identifying and cataloging each specimen. In the room next door, you would hear ‘trajectory’ launching their projectiles to the desired measurements. All of this the result of their passion to discover. 

At MIT, every team member contributed significantly to the competition, bringing unique sets of skills and dedication to each and every event. In total, there were a recorded number of seventy-two teams. Pilgrim’s top events displayed at the competition were: “Write It Do It” placing at 25th, “Bungee Drop” placing at 36th, and “Optics” placing at 37th. This year, MIT has also presented teams with other challenging and fun events and Pilgrim placed 23rd for “Picture This” and 25th at “Pokémon Pset”. While individual rankings tell only part of a story, the team’s true strength lies in their collaborative spirit and commitment to scientific exploration in and outside of the classroom.

The competition at MIT presented an extraordinary learning opportunity. Students tackled complex challenges in diverse scientific disciplines, from optics and trajectory to intricate problem-solving events. Each challenge pushed the team’s boundaries, providing invaluable experience and insights that will prove crucial in their upcoming competition. 

Looking forward, the team is preparing for their next challenge on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Brown University. The MIT competition served as a critical learning experience, offering the team a chance to analyze their performance, refine their strategies, and grow stronger collectively. 

The Science Olympiad team continues to embody the spirit of scientific inquiry, reading to take on whatever challenges come their way.