New Trier High School Science Olympiad Team Secures First Place at Illinois State Tournament

The varsity Science Olympiad team from New Trier High School recently secured first place at the Illinois State Tournament, held at the University of Urbana-Champaign. With 84 points, they narrowly edged out Adlai E. Stevenson High School by just two points, with the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools in third place.

The Illinois Science Olympiad tournaments involve 15-person teams competing in a series of events designed by the National Science Olympiad committee. Some events require specialized scientific knowledge, while others focus on the application of skills. New Trier’s team showcased their talents in various disciplines to secure their first overall win since 2018.

The team’s success at the state championship included several members earning medals and honors. Freshmen Kate Kang and Sofia Yang each received 3rd place medals, while sophomores Brian Ren, Elan Hao, Vivian Chen, and Justin Lu earned 1st place medals. Juniors Malachia Noel, Kevin Huang, Steven Zhao, and Varun Murali also excelled, with Noel winning four 1st place medals.

Among the seniors, Pranshu Rao and Tiana Wu secured 1st place in two categories and 3rd in another, while Sumi Pandiri, Andrew Xia