Science Olympiad

Showing off their creation, build members experiment and tamper with several designs.

Science Olympiad is a worldwide organization that encourages students to take a deep dive into the realm of science. Though there are a variety of study and hybrid geared events, build events require different responsibilities and skill sets. 

“I was put in the build event last year, but I found it really fun because we meet up in person every week and build stuff together. It’s more of a physical and group process. The experience was special for me, and I really liked the whole process,” said Build Captain Sunny Moon (‘25).

About the Program

The build team is categorized into seven different events: scrambler, air trajectory, flight, detector building, towers, robot tour, and optics. With only two people per event, build events emphasize management skills and reliability.

“Having only one partner to help fully design, put together, and test our builds adds a greater aspect of responsibility on everyone and keeps everyone accountable,” said Kaustubh Lole (‘25).

The build section facilitates a safe learning environment for people of all skill sets. Though events are centered around engineering, there are several meetings to learn and develop essential skills. Extensive background knowledge in the field is not required to excel in build events. 

“Science Olympiad builds are themselves a place for people to learn and gain new skills. I personally joined the team with experience in mechanical engineering through AVBotz and AP Physics, but many people don’t have experience when they join. Rather than conducting the selection process based on how many skills someone has, SciOly prioritizes someone’s willingness to learn and put in effort,” said Lole.

Competitions

Right up until competition day, the build section works hard to ensure they perform well in their competitions. Their vigorous work paid off, as they had successful runs throughout the years. Not only did they accumulate several awards, they also received top placements in their competitions. 

“From Barso, the most important tournament the team participates in, to BirdSo the competition with the most competitors, the SciOly build team was truly on a grind for months. All eight build event members were working for countless hours every week. Overall, the build team had a very successful season, with several top 10 and even top 5 placings across several competitions,” said Lole.

Although some competitions did not go in their favor, the build team is consistently improving and learning from their mistakes. They are also adapting, as they are working on expanding their events to gain a wider appeal.

“Even if it doesn’t work out, everything is like a good experience. Last year, we went to states and then one of the build events got second place at state. This year, more people were trying out because we tried new events. We had an escape room with engineering quizzes and puzzles,” said Moon.

Building Careers

The build team encourages all sorts of beneficial qualities necessary for the real world. Along with advancing those qualities, the events themselves hone important skills that help members pursue a successful career.

“I hope to pursue a field in engineering, and I think overall, Science Olympiad made a big impact in this decision because I was able to experience different fields of sciences. After I tried out all those events, I decided to settle on engineering because of build,” said Moon.

Not only do build events help develop certain skills, but they also serve as a simply fun way to foster members’ passion for engineering and building.

“The build team at Science Olympiad presented itself as the perfect opportunity for me. There is an extremely diverse range of build events, from physics to chem to engineering-related tasks. The main premise of builds, building, and testing custom designs for outlined tasks, was honestly such an exciting thing because of the large scope for creativity and flexibility,” said Lole.

Looking Ahead

Overall, the team has a fun, driven, and motivated culture that can also help with finding passions and future careers. The team hopes to grow, connect with the Amador community, and continue to expand their knowledge. 

“The build team feels like a second family since we’re always together at meetings and testing sessions for hours on end… SciOly builds is full of some of the smartest and most dedicated people, which rubbed off on me and motivated me to do the best I could as well,” said Lole.