New Trier High School has won the Science Olympiad state championships after a remarkable performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, April 20. This marks their return to the national finals at Michigan State University in East Lansing since 2018.
Science Olympiad tournaments bring together teams of 15 students competing in 23 events that test their knowledge and skills across various scientific disciplines. Teams are ranked based on their performance in each event, with the lowest overall score determining the winner.
New Trier faced off against 24 other teams during the state championships, securing first place in eight events and second place in five others. With a total of 84 team points, they emerged victorious over Stevenson by just two points.
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.
The road to success began for New Trier at the regional tournament on March 9 at Oakton College, where they won an impressive 18 out of 23 events. This commanding performance helped them secure a first-place team finish and advance 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. Supporters can subscribe to The Record or make a tax-deductible donation to contribute to responsible news coverage in their community.