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Max Bergin, Nicholas McIntyre, and Avani Spanier (left to right) study for the Science Olympiad regional competition event.
Bearden’s Science Olympiad recently finished second in one of Tennessee’s regional competitions, and the team hopes to carry this momentum into the state competition in April.
Amelie Carrillo, Cordelia Nelson, Max Bergin and Priya Sonej each helped Bearden win three times in this tournament.
The team continues to improve its scores and reputation from previous years. The program’s sponsor, Mrs. Andrea Hevdeis, attributes this to the team’s hard work both in and out of the classroom.
“Science Olympiad is very self-directed, self-paced, and academically intensive,” Hebbledays said. “Students who are motivated will be rewarded for their efforts.”
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As one of the co-chairmen, Mr. Soneji is responsible for motivating the team during the intense competition period.
“Some of our members compete in up to four events in a row at the tournament, so we needed something to keep their energy up,” Soneji said.
Soneji has found that group practices such as card games and makeshift pickleball help boost team morale. Current members appreciate better camaraderie and actively participate in friendly competitions.
“One group might be playing a card game, and another group might be using a calculator as a pickleball paddle,” Soneji said. “Keeping the pressure light is the reason for our success.”
Outside of competition, team members are responsible for documenting their learning beyond their time spent in school. Despite having a significant amount of work to do, returning juniors Gray Cammona and Karen Wilson feel the supportive atmosphere makes their work easier.
“It was a great opportunity to work in an environment where everyone was willing and ready to collaborate,” Cammona said.
Mr Wilson added: “It can be easy to be intimidated by the workload, but the satisfaction you get from competing and the community of people who want to see you succeed makes it all worth it.”
Receiving recognition for long hours of study in a competition is a driving force for most students. Cammona said she enjoys seeing the knowledge learned in school applied to life outside the classroom.
“When you take an exam, you often apply only a small portion of what you learned,” says Cammona. “During the Science Olympiad, you will always be relating lessons taught in school to your own events and projects.”
Going into state, Bearden Science Olympiad is hoping to beat rival teams Farragut and Cedar Springs (a home-schooled student team). Soneji hopes that with this group’s experience, they can finish higher than last year and even win a state title.
The state tournament will be held on April 6 on UT’s campus.
“There are more teams competing in the state and it’s more competitive, but winning is always our goal,” she said. “And break Farragut.”
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