Add together thirteen students, twenty five events, and some daunting odds. This summation is none other than Chelsea High School’s very own Science Olympiad team. But wait–what the heck even is Science Olympiad? Maybe you’ve never even heard of it. After all, this club has always lived in relative obscurity. It is located deep in the academic wing where the light of recognition is rarely seen. Then again, maybe you have heard this name, over the announcements, in passing, or being affectionately referred to as the “nerd club.” Regardless of your familiarity, Science Olympiad is simply a bunch of students that can be found in room 224 every Tuesday and Wednesday from 3-4pm. During and outside of these meetings, students spend long hours building and studying for twenty five different scientific events. Topics can range anywhere from constructing a mouse trap powered vehicle to being tested on thermodynamic principles. Then, after a lot of hard work and a little bit of last minute cramming, the competition day arrives. Students bring all of their self-taught knowledge together and compete against the likes of private schools, schools with Science Olympiad classes, and schools more than three times the size of Chelsea. Our team has already gone through two competition days and, despite our lack of numbers, has brought home several medals and ribbons to CHS. Our next competition is coming up on March 17th. Hosted at Adrian College, this will be the last of our yearly Science Olympiad competitions, and also our Regionals. Understandably, studying of one’s own volition and taking tests all day isn’t for everyone. Some might even go so far as to call this “boring.” On the contrary, just a little bit of effort can make Science Olympiad an incredibly rewarding experience.