Science Olympiad Team Qualifies for States

A total of 18 teams from across the Pittsburgh region competed at the event, with only the top five advancing to the state tournament. This marked Upper St. Clair’s third appearance in the competition.

The Upper St. Clair team includes Aanya Agrawal, Maria Alfredson Themudo, Sofia Alfredson Themudo, Sam An, Josh Beitler, Matt Beitler, Augusta Bottonari, Felix Chen, Rohan Inampudi, Aaron Jiang, Darsh Kakkad, Avik Pandey, Raana Parchuri and Harshini Sivakumar. Students are supported by Emma McDonnell, gifted education teacher.

“It has been amazing seeing what started as just a five-person team grow into a states-bound team with a full roster,” Augusta said. “It’s such a fun experience, and certainly very exciting to see everyone’s hard work pay off! The events span from chemistry to robotics to rocks and minerals, so everyone gets a chance to pursue what fascinates them most."

Science Olympiad is a national STEM competition in which students participate in standards-based challenges across a wide range of scientific disciplines. Students select events aligned with their interests, research and prepare with a partner, and compete in timed competitions.

“They learn the research skills needed to understand the content of their challenge, apply knowledge learned in their classrooms, practice study skills and compete in a timed environment,” Ms. McDonnell said.

In addition to the team’s overall finish, several Upper St. Clair students earned top-five finishes and medals in individual events:

First Place
Augusta Bottonari & Aaron Jiang – Bungee Drop
Sam An & Felix Chen – Engineering CAD
Harshini Sivakumar & Rohan Inampudi – Machines

Second Place
Harshini Sivakumar, Aaron Jiang & Augusta Bottonari, Codebusters
Sofia Alfredson Themudo & Augusta Bottonari – Forensics 
Felix Chen & Augusta Bottonari – Material Science
Josh Beitler & Matt Beitler – Robot Tour

Third Place
Aaron Jiang & Harshini Sivakumar – Helicopter
Avik Pandey & Darsh Kakkad – Remote Sensing

Fifth Place
Aaron Jiang & Harshini Sivakumar – Boomilever
Rohan Inampudi & Harshini Sivakumar – Circuit Lab

The strong regional performance highlights the team’s growth and dedication as members prepare to compete against the state’s top teams later this month.