Freshman year is a year of trying new things, of figuring out what you like and figuring out high school as a whole. I began my high school career overenthusiastically, signing interest forms for a dozen different clubs and academic teams, abandoning most of them eventually. I hoped that I would find my niche in at least one of those clubs, to find what I enjoyed and could really be a part of. And, thankfully, I did.

I tried out for the Science Olympiad team as an eighth grader last spring, the first tryout date on the list of many. It was the first student organization that I would join at Arcadia High School, meeting throughout summer break. Early in the school year, Science Olympiad meetings were a great way to feel like a part of a community while doing something that I loved. Science Olympiad introduced me to new friends, interesting and captivating concepts, and a great, new environment. 

Science Olympiad gives me an opportunity to further and develop my knowledge in a group full of equally interested peers. It’s a constant challenge, with enough time and freedom to balance out the responsibility and commitment. I believe that Science Olympiad, like many other academic teams, allows students to explore their interests and passions and learn important skills that transcend school life.

Thank you, Science Olympiad, for helping me figure out what it is that I am passionate about, for giving me the opportunity to explore, learn, and discover fields of study that I never would have thought to look into otherwise. Thank you for the rigorous biweekly meetings, for half-botched experiments and hopeful results and for the new experiences that you have offered. Thanks, Arcadia Science Olympiad Team, for your order and your chaos, for the warm environment that you always manage to maintain . Thanks to the people on the team who make it what it is: who make it so welcoming, structured, and as eclectic as it is.

Although it’s easy for a team of thirty-odd members to feel distant from one another, the Arcadia Science Olympiad team still manages to band together this large group of people into one that works for a common goal, for more than invitationals and qualifications. Thank you, Science Olympiad, for all that you do, and for all that you have shown me.