Brains, Breakthroughs & Balsa Wood? Science Olympiad Teams Make FSW School History!

Parachute launches, ecological analyses, and a whole lot of teamwork led to a record number of medals across both Division A and B competitions this spring—including a historic full-team appearance at North Carolina’s State Tournament.

This spring, Friends School of Wilmington’s Science Olympiad teams didn’t just compete. They made history. Students from both Lower School and Middle School brought sharp thinking, steady teamwork, and a genuine love of learning to multiple regional tournaments. And for the first time ever, our Division B scientists (grades 6-8) advanced to the North Carolina State Tournament as a full team!

It was a season marked by both measurable wins and meaningful moments: first-place medals, personal breakthroughs, and a strong sense of camaraderie that carried through every challenge.

Division A Regionals (Grades 3-6)

At the March 2025 New Hanover County Regional Tournament, our youngest scientists competed in both Junior Varsity and Varsity divisions, taking on events that ranged from hands-on engineering to analytical problem-solving. With steady focus and teamwork, they brought home a record number of medals in one of our school's strongest showings yet.

Junior Varsity (out of 6 teams)

• 🥇 Data Crunchers – Gregory & Nicole
• 🥇 Sky Quest – Lionel & Nettie
• 🥇 Weather Permitting – Grace & Gregory
• 🥈 Code Busters – Brendan & Nicole
• 🥈 Duct Tape Challenge – Kate & Lionel
• 🥈 Ecology Experts – Malena & Marlowe
• 🥈 Pasta Tower – Marlowe & Mavis
• 🥈 Ping Pong Parachute – Ashling & Brendan
• 🥈 Rock Star – Archer & Mavis
• 🥉 Ramp & Roll – Archer & Deacon
• 🏆 Overall JV Finish: 2nd place (just 1 point away from 1st!)

Varsity (out of 15 teams)

• 🥇 Ecology Experts – Clemmy & Lucy B.
• 4️⃣ Pasta Tower – Emery & Tristan
• 5️⃣ Duct Tape Challenge – Max R. & Sophia
• 5️⃣ Ping Pong Parachute – Harrison & Tristan
• 🏆 Overall Varsity Finish: 6th place (just 10 points from the podium)

What stood out just as much as the medals was the atmosphere: students high-fiving between events, encouraging each other after tough rounds, and cheering not just for their teammates, but for competitors from other schools. As one coach put it, “We are so proud of how they performed, and even more of how they showed up for each other.”

Division B Regionals (Grades 6-8)

At the Wilmington-area regionals, the Middle School Varsity team faced off against 25 other schools and broke a school record with every single FSW student earning a medal. The team placed in a stellar 15 out of 18 events and secured an overall 3rd place finish, earning their first full-team bid to the State Tournament!

Division B Varsity Highlights:

• 🥇 Metric Mastery – Coverly & Walker
• 🥇 Potions and Poisons – Cam & Walker
• 🥈 Disease Detectives – Sterling & Sylvie
• 🥈 Dynamic Planet – Henry & Sterling
• 🥈 Entomology – Coverly & Sam C.
• 🥈 Wind Power – Hayden
• 🥉 Crime Busters – Lola & Sylvie
• 🥉 Road Scholar – Henry & Sam C.
• 4️⃣ Helicopter – Sterling & Walker
• 4️⃣ Scrambler – Eli & Sam W.
• 5️⃣ Anatomy and Physiology – Lola & Thaya
• 5️⃣ Codebusters – Carina & Vivian
• 6️⃣ Microbe Mission – Cam & Lola
• 8️⃣ Fossils – Hayden & Sophie
• 8️⃣ Meteorology – Eli & Sam W.
• 🏆 Overall Finish: 3rd Place (and a spot at the state tournament)

Whether designing helicopters, analyzing microbes, or decoding ciphers, our students combined deep content knowledge with creative problem-solving and a healthy dose of perseverance.

Division B State Tournament

Just a few weeks later at the State Tournament, our Olympians competed among the top middle schools in the state, and while the competition was tough, our students rose to the occasion, earning several top-10 finishes and demonstrating both skill and resilience.

State Highlights:

• 🥈 Dynamic Planet – Sterling Sewell & Henry Laudadio
• 4️⃣ Crime Busters – Sylvie Alper & Lola Joh (Team Co-Captains)
• 6️⃣ Coastal Ecology – Mikey Cook & Lucas Zombron
• 🔟 Road Scholar – Henry Laudadio & Sam Cox (11th)
• 🔟 Wind Power – Hayden Harang & Walker Sewell (11th)

As Head Coach Rob Ward reminded students after the final awards ceremony: “Some people run a marathon to win. Some run just to finish. Either way, it’s an incredible accomplishment.” After months of preparation, collaboration, and growth, our team crossed the finish line together, with pride and purpose.

Gratitude and Growth

This remarkable season was made possible by the thoughtful leadership of Head Coach Rob Ward with the steadfast support and boundless energy of our event coaches and parent volunteers. To our young scientists: thank you for approaching each challenge with curiosity, humility, and grit. You’ve shown what’s possible when learning is both rigorous and joyful and when students truly believe in each other.