Port Jefferson Middle School’s Science Olympiad Team

The Port Jefferson Middle School science Olympiad team recently had a successful trip to the Suffolk County Regional Division B Science Olympiad Competition. Across the A, B, and C teams, Port Jefferson students received a total of 22 medals to go along with a third-place finish overall.

Port Jefferson students from grades six through nine competed against 32 teams in events that tested students’ study skills in biology, chemistry, earth science, engineering, physics, and scientific problem solving. Medal winners included:

·        Ninth graders Lucas Smirnov and Luca Thomsen, first place in Dynamic Planet

·        Ninth grader Sam Perez-Flesler and eighth grader Dean Zaltsman, first place in Fossils

·        Ninth graders Sam Perez-Flesler and Luca Thomsen, first place in Reach For The Stars

·        Eighth graders Austin Nam and Nathan Rubenstein, second place in Anatomy

·        Ninth graders Lucas Smirnov and Luca Thomsen, second place in Meteorology

·        Eighth grader Austin Nam and ninth grader Lucas Smirnov, third place in Ecology

·        Ninth graders Bryan Hyrycz and Oliver Rhame, third place in Mission Possible

·        Ninth graders Sam Perez-Flesler and Oliver Rhame, third place in Write It Do It

·        Eighth graders Kieran Browne and Kai Gronenthal, fourth place in Metric Mastery

·        Seventh graders Violet Perez-Flesler and Alice Turner, fourth place in Mission Possible

·        Eighth grader Milo Gugliucci and ninth graders Oliver Rhame and Lucas Smirnov, fifth place in Code Busters

·        Eighth graders Klea Mehmeti and Kaho Sugimoto, fifth place in Optics

·        Ninth graders Gayathri Abhilash and Veronica Shterengas, sixth place in Ecology

·        Ninth grader Phoenix Coleman, sixth place in Meteorology

·        Ninth graders Bryan Hyrycz and Luca Thomsen, sixth place in Road Scholar

·        Ninth grader Gayathri Abilash, seventh place in Anatomy

·        Ninth graders Brian Hyrycz and Sam Perez-Flesler, seventh place in Crime Busters

·        Eighth grader Ruari Hogan and ninth grader Oliver Rhame, seventh place in Entomology

·        Seventh grader Timothy Amadio and eighth grader Rahym Khan, seventh place in Road Scholar

·        Ninth grader Brian Hyrycz and eighth grader Klea Mehmeti, seventh place in Tower

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·        Eighth grader Jacob Fulton and seventh grader Alice Turner, eighth place in Dynamic Planet

·        Eighth graders Klea Mehmeti and Kaho Sugimoto, eighth place in Potions and Poisons

The Port Jefferson Middle School team also included ninth graders Hayden Chesler and Elizabeth Yin; eighth grader Avery Devine; seventh graders Bridget Grossman, Gloria Monaghan, and Claire Gearns; and sixth graders Jonathan Kogan, Alexandru Pittinsky, and William Wardhana. The team was coached by Adam Bouchard, the middle school’s Earth Science teacher. He was assisted at the competition by teachers Mrs. Garcia, Mr. Gorniok, Mr. Maletta, Mrs. Perovich, Ms. Sklar, Ms. Weaver and teaching assistant Mr. Holland.

“These students have truly proven themselves as Port Jefferson’s scientists of the future,” said Mr. Bouchard. “I am incredibly proud of all of their hard work leading into this competition.”