With the BirdSO online competition throughout the week of Feb. 12 – Feb. 18 , members of Science Olympiad plan to practice and sharpen their skills for their events.

Shravan Chengalva, Science Olympiad member and senior, said he has to prepare in different ways for this unique competition. Ecology, astronomy

“Back in September, we had these workshops meant to get competitors up to speed on certain events. It was like a crash course with all the important stuff, resources, and even practice problems to test your skills,” Chengalva said. “Since this competition is fully online, we have done many practice tests and lessons online as well, to get a feel for the environment during tests.”

Chengalva participates in multiple events such as Ecology and Astronomy. He said he has seen many club members develop in competitions.

“By far, the greatest skill I’ve seen develop through practices and feedback forms is communication within a partnership,” Chengalva said. “Knowing how to solve a question in one thing but clearly defending the reasoning in the heat of competition is a unique challenge members see firsthand.”

Cynthia Henry, the Science Olympiad sponsor, said she is eager to see how the new officers handle the onboarding of new members.

“With previous veterans filling the officer positions this year, I am curious to see how they use their experience to benefit new Sci-Oly members,” Henry said.

Chengalva said he has used his experience to benefit members, emphasizing the importance of these competitions.

“So often at practices, members get frustrated and say, ‘That won’t be tested,’ or ‘I’ll figure it out during the test,’ only to face the same challenge come competition,” Chengalva said. “Some days of practice and testing designs are good, and others are not so much. But these competition opportunities are a barometer of personal growth in studying and our build events in the trial-and-error process.”