Science Olympiad, also know as SciOly, is one of the most successful and fun teams at Whitney Young but many students might not even understand what it is. Science Olympiad is in its fourth year at Whitney Young, with a team comprised of members, competing across the city and suburbs in groups of two to four in 23 different events focusing on different branches of science. The events are all different; some involve taking a test, completing a lab, creating a device and bringing it to a test in the competition, or any combination of those. Science Olympiad is a great option for any student interested in pursuing science. Alex Burr ‘20 and Secretary of Science Olympiad says “Because of Science Olympiad I realized I loved building things and now I’m considering a career in bioengineering.” The team competes against schools across the city and the state during the winter. Last year, Whitney Young Science Olympiad won the CPS Regional and this year, they have moved into the AA Division, which is the most difficult division, and are ranked 14th in the state.

    Science Olympiad is open to all students- Lauren Delgado ‘17 and Building Events Coordinator describes the club by noting “With Science Olympiad, after awhile you forget you’re doing science. Instead you’re just hanging out with friends trying to figure things out. Of course in a really nerdy way.” There is a Division B team for Academic Center students and 9th grade students who were in the Academic Center and a Division C team for students in grades 9-12.

    All members of the team train and compete together but only the competition of the varsity team impacts the overall placement of the team while junior varsity members are competing only for individual medals. Anusha Ebrahim ‘17 and president of SciOly says, “There are three types of people on the team, those who are serious and have experience, those who are cultivating a newfound passion, and then those who just like playing with power tools.” Regardless of where you might fall on that spectrum, join Science Olympiad! They meet Fridays after school in room 322 with Dr. Muhammad and Mr. Kruidenier.