Students from Earl L. Vandermeulen High School proudly represented their school and community at the 2026 New York State Science Olympiad Competition, held March 20–22 at Le Moyne College. Competing against 60 of the top high school teams from across New York State, the team achieved an impressive 24th-place overall finish, placing them in the top half statewide.

The Earl L. Vandermeulen A Team consisted of 16 dedicated students, guided by coaches and high school science teachers Amanda Perovich and Melissa Garcia. The competition featured 23 challenging events spanning a wide range of STEM disciplines, where only the top 10 teams in each event earned medals. Demonstrating exceptional skill and preparation, the team secured three state medals:

• Dynamic Planet (4th Place): Lucas Smirnov and Jonah Boerboom
• Remote Sensing (3rd Place): Lucas Smirnov and Samuel Perez-Flesler
• Write It, Do It (3rd Place): Mari Fukuto and Isaac Rubenstein

In addition to these podium finishes, the team came close to earning medals in several other highly competitive events, including Anatomy and Physiology, Disease Detectives, Codebusters, and Water Quality.
“We are exceptionally proud of our entire team for their performance, effort, and sportsmanship during this state competition,” said Coach Perovich. “The team placed higher than last year and shows their motivation and dedication to their events and the subject of science”. “Earning three state medals and coming close in several others is no easy task at the high school level, especially among 60 outstanding teams from across New York State,” added Coach Garcia.

Earl L. Vandermeulen High School celebrates the achievements, dedication, and teamwork of its Science Olympiad students, whose accomplishments reflect both academic excellence and a passion for scientific discovery.