Science Olympiad Takes Home Second Consecutive Win in Ecology

The Ecology team champions pose together for their victory picture. *Photo: Afzal Akhtar*

By JOSEPH WANG and JAYLEN LI

The Science Olympiad Team continues to take home victories, winning the New York City South Regional Science Olympiad Championship in Ecology for the second year in a row on February 1 at Grover Cleveland High School.

The tournament consisted of answering test questions, completing labs, and collaborating to build intricate structures. This year, among 59 teams, Afzal Akhtar ‘25 and Daoud Mirza ‘26 placed 8th while seniors Rico Zhang and Sophia Lian placed 10th in Ecology.

“While we didn’t claim the top spots, it was a huge accomplishment considering our relative inexperience compared to other teams, and I couldn’t have been prouder of our effort,” said Zhang.

“We are so proud of both teams’ hard work this year and the placements they won,” said Ms. Zoe Piccolo, the club’s advisor.

“Each competition (from optics to chemistry lab) required multiple team members to compete,” said Akhtar, the president of the club. “By understanding each other's strengths, weaknesses, and channeling our diversity of thought, we were able to achieve amazing results.”

“I felt very confident during the competition – not just in my own abilities, but in my fellow teammates as well,” said Mirza. “I felt as though we were the underdogs that day, a feeling that only made me more determined to perform at the highest level.”

“There was pride in ourselves, the pride our advisors felt towards us, and pride in placing high against numerous schools,” said Noah Bonner ‘25. “But the highlight of the competition definitely was the shared laughs, jokes, and struggles that ultimately brought us closer together as a team.”

Preparing for the competition meant reviewing practice problems, online videos, and concepts for the written events.

“The competition was stressful,” said Lian. “For the last three days before we competed, I stayed up until 2-3 a.m. every night. It's similar to preparing for the SATs or finals.”

The team dedicated many hours to perfecting their knowledge on a wide range of subjects.

“Each day was not wasted,” said Akhtar. “Even on the competition day, hours before our event, me and the ecology team reviewed slides and sheets and did practice problems.” The Ecology category includes the first six units of AP Environmental Science, biomes, ecosystems, biodiversity, populations, earth systems and resources, and more, he added.

“We prepared for the competition by studying any online textbooks, videos, or publicly available Science Olympiad resources we could find,” said Mirza. “I must admit, that's one thing the team excels at—being resourceful and proactive.”

“For chemistry lab, we had to memorize numerous pieces of lab equipment alongside acids,” said Bonner. “We continuously quizzed each other and did practice questions up until our competitions. In order to maximize our score, we had to selectively answer questions we could guarantee getting correct first.”

Akhtar also did Experimental Design. “In this event, our team had to design and conduct an experiment using limited materials—all under a strict time constraint,” he said.

“Our team competed in a diverse range of events, covering everything from engineering to even entomology, the study of bugs,” said Zhang. “One of our standout events was Air Trajectory, where students were tasked with building a contraption prior to the competition that could launch a projectile most accurately using the school’s minimum budget.”

The team’s success did not come without its challenges.

“Limited funding prevented us from competing in some events altogether,” said Gautam Saji ‘25. “Also, the club only meets once a week for one period.”

“There was some anxiety going into the competition, as the night before the event I could hardly fall asleep, I didn’t want to let my team down,” said Lixin Lin ‘26. “Figuring out what is necessary to prepare and what is not during such an event with such a strict time limit is very scary, as the smallest mistakes can result in poor placement.”

Although most team members did not secure a victory, the competition provided them with invaluable experience, strengthening their bonds and fostering a deeper sense of unity.

“This was my final year at Midwood, and I knew that this would be the last time I’d compete alongside some of these amazing people, some of whom were friends I’ve known since my sophomore year,” said Zhang. “That realization made every moment feel even more significant.”

“Serving as president of the Science Olympiad has been an incredible honor during my high school career,” said Akhtar. “Seeing the club grow—from a single team to two, launching our first-ever merch, establishing a social media presence, and creating a Discord server—fills me with immense pride.”

“I truly hope the momentum we've built this year carries on for years to come, and I have the utmost faith in every one of my club members,” he added.

“I advise prospective students to not be afraid to join if they feel underprepared or lack experience,” said Bonner. “I was hesitant at first when I was invited to join. But looking back, I can confidently say that SciOly became one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences of my high school career.”

“We need sophomores and juniors next year, so those who may be interested should take a look at the website,” said Mr. Christopher Buonocore, the club’s advisor. “Start looking at the events and their requirements now. We have a lot of prior interest in chem lab, ecology, microbe mission, disease detective, experimental design, and writing.”

“Science Olympiad is truly a rewarding experience for students who have a passion for science and building,” said Akhtar. If you're considering joining, take the leap—you won’t regret it!