Montgomery Catholic Science Olympiad Team takes Third Place at High School Regional Competition, Hulcher and O’Mara First at State Contest

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s high school Science Olympiad team had its most successful competition at the Regional Competition hosted by Spring Hill College in Mobile. Montgomery Catholic was represented by 27 students who competed as two teams and succeeded in bringing home individual student medals in 12 of the events. Based on the overall scores, Montgomery Catholic earned both a third place Team Trophy, as well as an invitation to enter a team for the State Science Olympiad Competition at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, a first for the Montgomery Catholic program.

Competing with twelve other teams from across the state of Alabama at the State Science Olympiad Competition, Montgomery Catholic brought home their first-ever medals at the state level. Zach Hulcher and Maddie O'Mara placed first in Dynamic Planet; earning both students $11,000 per year renewable scholarships to Huntingdon College. Maddie O’Mara and Leo Petters were also successful in placing fourth for their Robotic Arm.

Montgomery Catholic’s high school Science Olympiad head coach Mrs. Mary Kathryn O’Connor said this was the best performance for our high school team ever. “This was something our students have worked towards since the fall. Our teams prepared to compete in multiple events, with each student participating in at least two events and some competed in as many as four different events. Our performances are the result of the hard work put in by our students, with the help of the entire Science and Math faculty who served as assistant coaches for the various competitions. The students could not have been as successful without great parental support and encouragement as well,” said Mrs. O'Connor.

Science Olympiad is a national competition designed to encourage interest in a wide variety of scientific fields. Competitions involve both written and practical demonstrations and activities. Among the 23 events this year were Astronomy, Anatomy and Physiology, Forensic Science, Thermodynamics, and Water Quality. Among the “design and build” events were Helicopters, which required students to build a rubber band-powered helicopter measured by duration of flight, and Towers, which involved building an efficient tower of balsa and basswood.

“All of the students learned a great deal at both the regional and state competitions. The real benefit is having our students witness the application of science for the enhancement of their knowledge and understanding of the world around us,” said Mrs. O’Connor.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's high school Science Olympiad team members Maddie O'Mara and Leo Petters demonstrate their Robotic Arm at the State Science Olympiad competition at Huntingdon College.