New Trier High School Science Olympiad Team Secures State Championship and Returns to National Finals

New Trier High School has secured the title of science Olympiad state champions after a successful competition on Saturday, April 20, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This marks their return to the national finals at Michigan State University in East Lansing, an achievement last accomplished in 2018.

Science Olympiad tournaments bring together teams of 15 students competing in 23 different events that test their knowledge and skills across various scientific disciplines. Teams are ranked based on their performance in each event, with the team with the lowest overall score emerging as the winner.

During the state championships, New Trier competed against 24 other schools and emerged victorious with first place in eight events and second place in five others. Their strong performance led them to claim the top spot with a total team score of 84 points, just two points ahead of runner-up Stevenson High School.

Individual students also shone at the competition, with many earning medals for their outstanding performances. Junior Malachi Noel led the way by contributing to four first-place teams, followed closely by Vivian Chen with three first-place events. Other standout students included Prashu Rao, Tiana Wu, Kevin Huang, Varun Murali, and Stephen Zhao, each contributing to two first-place finishes.

New Trier’s success can be attributed to their preparation and dedication to excellence. The team began their journey at the regional tournament on March 9 at Oakton College where they won an impressive 18 out of 23 events. Their commanding performance helped secure a first-place team finish and advance them to the state level of competition.

The success of New Trier’s science Olympiad team is supported by funding from the New Trier Educational Foundation. As a nonprofit newspaper, The Record relies on reader support to continue providing independent local journalism