Newton’s high-school science teams continue to excel.  Last Saturday, Newton North placed 2nd and Newton South placed 3rd overall in the Massachusetts State Science Olympiad at Framingham State University, competing with more than 40 school teams across the state.

Newton North’s 20-member Science Team placed an average of 6th in all 21 of its events, medaling 1st in studying events for Materials Science, Rocks and Minerals, and Forestry. The team also placed in the top 5 in all of the Olympiad building events:  Maglev, Gravity Vehicle, Boomilever, and Robot Arm.  In its Trial Events, it also placed well, setting a good standard for future years.  North Science teacher Tatyana Osipenko, the team advisor, proctored the Experimental Design event, in which Newton North came in 13th. The team plans to participate in MIT Trivia and the MA Envirothon, and it will organize the Science Initiatives Competition in the upcoming weeks.

Newton South‘s team, with more than 40 active members, averaged between 6th and 7th place, claiming Top Three in 10 out of 21 total events. The members received gold medals for Maglev and Robotic Arm, silver medals in Forensics, Thermodynamics, Rocks and Minerals, and Water Quality, and also received bronze medals in Material Science, Physics Lab, and Technical Problem Solving Material Science. In 8 additional events, the team ranked within the Top 10.  South Science teacher Dr. Jordan Kraus, the team advisor, organized the event Anatomy and Physiology, in which Newton South placed 2nd. South’s trial team, consisting of young and growing members of the team, placed 3rd in the event Endangered and Exotic Animals.