The Jesuit High School Sacramento Science Olympiad team allows students to dive deeper into their love for science and engineering in ways that a conventional class does not allow. Whether it is building a bridge from scratch or maneuvering a laser through a maze of mirrors, the Science Olympiad team is always doing something fun. 

While the team is enjoyable for every student that joins, the ultimate goal of the team is to prepare for an annual Science Olympiad competition.

AP Environmental Science Teacher Dr. Nicole Jensen and AP Physics Teacher Ms. Amy Becker co-moderate the team. While the team is mostly student-run, Ms. Becker and Dr. Jensen are available to help students whenever they need.

“Together we assign events and help to be a resource for students as they’re working on preparing for their events,” Ms. Becker said. “Then, on the day of competition, we’re there to help with the logistics of getting everyone where they need to be.”

Along with teaching science in a fun environment, the team also teaches participants the ability to work as a team towards a common goal. The team is structured so that the participants choose events to compete in, working with up to 2 other people.

“It’s a great way for students who have a passion for science to dive deeper into a topic,” Dr. Jensen said. “It’s also fun to have it as a team event where all the students support each other and work together in different groups.”

There are only so many science classes that a school can offer, leaving few opportunities to pursue the more specialized fields of science in a classroom. Ms. Becker recognizes this reality, and believes that the Science Olympiad team offers a solution to this problem.

“Students can learn and delve really deep into a niche of science that sometimes we cover in class and sometimes we do not, like meteorology,” Ms. Becker said. “It gives them a chance to learn about an area of science they are interested in or give them an experience in building things to meet certain parameters.”

Team member Peter Anderson ’25 appreciates the way the Science Olympiad team differs from a regular classroom environment.

“You just go out and you learn more, and then your classes are more enjoyable because you get to see the ways that science and engineering are actually used,” Peter said. “You get to see cool ways to do things, rather than just filling out paper.”

If you have a passion for science or engineering, or you just like to build things and solve problems, the Science Olympiad team may be for you. The team is still accepting members for the competition this year – it’s not too late to join. Moderated by teachers who have a passion for the subjects they love to share and led by students who want to learn, the team is a great opportunity to increase and test your scientific knowledge.