Sussex Academy finishes first in county at Science Olympiad

The Sussex Academy in Georgetown competed at the state Science Olympiad Tournament at Delaware State University March 16, finishing first in Sussex County, and ranked as the top team outside New Castle County. The competitive academic team spent months practicing after school to prepare for the competition.

The team of 15 students competed in 24 different events against 59 teams, demonstrating their scientific knowledge in various areas; categories ranged from Bottle Rockets to Geology and Music. Medals were awarded for the top 10 teams for each event, and Cohen Davis and Colden Fees earned a seventh-place medal for the Bottle Rockets.

The team also placed in the top 20 in several other events. Katie Maher, Graham Spellman and Madi Rice finished 11th in Experimental Design. Ari August and Patrick Dopler finished in 12th place for Crime Busters, as did Cohen Davis, Colden Fees and Kierstin Blatzheim for Mission Possible. Christopher and Patrick Dopler finished 14th in Helicopters, and Grace Scott and Graham Spellman finished 15th in Dynamic Planet. Kierstin Blatzheim and Kathryn Donati earned 17th place in Reach for the Stars. Eighteenth-place finishes went to Katie Maher and Ari August for Heredity, as well as Maggie Smith and Christopher Dopler in Rotor Egg Drop. Colden Fees and Kathryn Van Pelt earned 19th place in Forestry.