Marcellus Senior High School Science Olympiad Team Places Eighth

Congratulations go out to the Marcellus Senior High School Science Olympiad Team and coaches Jen Carnes and Mark Sunheimer on their eighth place finish at the 2011 New York State Mid-State Science Olympiad Tournament on February 5, 2011. More than 500 students from 33 school districts participated in the regional competition that took place at LeMoyne College. The Science Olympiad is an international non-profit organization “devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science.” The Science Olympiad tournament begins at the regional level and progresses through state and national competition. The tournaments provide for “rigorous academic competition that consists of team events” relative to a variety of science topics. Among the 23 competitive events at this year’s high school challenge at LeMoyne College were featured events such as Helicopters, Ornithology, Astronomy, Forensics, Dynamic Planet, Remote Sensing, Towers, Protein Modeling, and Towers. The Marcellus Senior High School team, coached by high school science teachers Jen Carnes and Mark Sunheimer, finished in 8th place among the 33 school districts who competed in the regional event. The student scientists who make up the 2010-2011 Marcellus Senior High School Science Olympiad Team include Joelle Orecki, Sarah Glose, Hayley Knox, Ellen Brooks, Eric Morris, Rob Coon, Adam Kinsella, Dave Gooden, Matthew Tice, Anetxy Barnes, Angela Pugliese, Elizabeth Dean, Taylor Walker, Meghan Greenfield, Jen Russo, and Julie Powers. The following team members “medaled” at the regional competition:
Adam Kinsella & Matt Tice – 1st Place in “Mission Possible”
Joelle Orecki & Jen Russo – 3rd Place in “Helicopters”
Joelle Orecki & Elizabeth Dean – 3rd Place in “Write-it/Do-it”
Julie Powers & Taylor Walker – 4th Place in “Forensics”
Joelle Orecki & Julie Powers – 5th Place in “Fossils”
The success of Marcellus Senior High School Science Olympiad Team is reflective of the several months of preparation and dedication that the MSHS competitors put into their individual projects under the guiding hand of coaches Carnes and Sunheimer.