The AUC Science Olympiad Team participated in the Solon Invitational Science Olympiad Tournament that took place on Saturday, February 2nd, in Solon High School, Solon, Ohio. Science Olympiad Invitational Tournaments provide Science Olympiad teams the opportunity to participate in optional `practice’ tournaments that do not affect regional or state advancement or rankings.

The Solon Science Olympiad team has been one of the most successful programs in the nation, often capturing first place at the National tournament. This year a record number of 61 nationally ranked teams from various states competed in a rigorous competition. The teams participated in 23 events and three trial events. The AUC students who competed were: Ioanna Georgoulakis, Theano Georgoulakis, Caela Gomes, Vaidya Govindarajan, Elizabeth Hernandez, Alexis Hidalgo, Yeorgia Kafkoulis, Shiva Kangeyan, Amy Lee, Lenny Martinez, Alejandro Rodriguez, Linda Shahin, Aditya Shetty, and Ronen Wdowinski.

AUC ranked 26 out of 61 teams. The top 10 individual placements are as follows:

• Theano & Alexis- 1st place in Forensics
• Shiva & Amy -2nd place in Designer Genes
• Shiva & Yeorgia- 5th place in Geek Speak
• Shiva & Ronen- 9th place in Dynamic Planet
• Shiva & Ronen- 9th place in Rocks & Minerals

As you can see in the photos below the trip, besides a great learning experience for our students, gave them also the opportunity to have fun in the snow-covered Solon.

The A.U.C. Science Olympiad teams participated on February 16th in the Regional Science Olympiad competition at Florida Atlantic University with great success (an article on this event will be available soon) and are now preparing for the state finals that will take place on March 23rd at the University of Central Florida at Orlando.