St. Mary Science Olympiad Team Wins Regional Championship, Advances to State

The St. Mary Catholic Community School Science Olympiad team earned a first-place overall finish at the Ivy Tech Lafayette Regional Science Olympiad, securing their advancement to the state competition.

Competing against teams from across the region, St. Mary students demonstrated exceptional dedication, teamwork, and academic excellence. Their outstanding performance was highlighted by an impressive 13 first-place medals in individual events, including Heredity, Boomilever, and Solar System.

The regional competition, hosted at Ivy Tech Community College’s Lafayette campus, brought together students to test their knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through a combination of rigorous exams and hands-on building challenges. St. Mary’s team rose to the occasion, excelling in both study-intensive and engineering-focused events.

The Boomilever team applied engineering principles to design and construct a lightweight yet strong structure capable of supporting significant weight. Eighth grader Connor Bronson said, “Creating the boomilever allowed me to use creativity to understand science principles.” In Heredity, students showcased their mastery of genetics concepts through detailed problem-solving and analysis. First-year competitor Karsen Marten said, “It was a great experience! I enjoyed learning.” In the Solar System event, competitors demonstrated a deep understanding of astronomy, planetary science, and space exploration. Eighth-grade leader Sean Johansson said his last regional experience was memorable. He enjoyed creating and testing the helicopter and working with his teammates.

Preparation for the regional tournament required months of disciplined study sessions, after-school practices, and careful construction and testing of devices. Students dedicated countless hours to reviewing scientific material, refining designs, troubleshooting challenges, and supporting one another as a team.

With their regional championship secured, the St. Mary Catholic Community School Science Olympiad team now looks ahead to the state competition at Northridge High School on March 28, ready to represent their school and community with the same determination and excellence that earned them the top spot in Lafayette. The team is coached by Theresa McLoughlin, Deb Shea, Tyrah Kohut, and Brittany LaMere.

Regina Andras and Karsen Martin preparing the hovercraft

Nick Mumaugh and Connor Bronson with the boomilever

Back row: Karsen Martin, Regina Andras, Coach Mrs. Kohut, Coach Mrs. McLoughlin, Luca Trajkovski, Sean Johansson  Front row: Dani Fleming, Olivia Valdes, Karyssa Urbanek, and Gabe Rosado

Sean Johansson and Gabe Rosado preparing the helicopter

St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point offers grade levels Junior Pre-Kindergarten (for three-year-olds) through grade eight. All students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities such as Academic Team, Chess Club, Science Olympiad, Scouts, Environmental Club, WSMW Newscast, athletics, art exhibits, Rosary Club, and more. To learn more about enrollment at St. Mary’s School, visit school.stmarycp.org or call 219-663-0676.