For the first time in the school’s history, Seven Lakes High School bested tough national competitors to earn the championship title in the high school category at the 41st Annual Science Olympiad National Tournament, held last month at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. The announcement came in a June 2 press release from the district, “I am so proud of our team for earning this incredible honor and representing Seven Lakes and Katy ISD on this national stage,” said Kerri Finnesand, Seven Lakes’ principal. “We are committed to a culture of excellence, and this award only builds on that reputation.”

In fierce competition for the junior high category, Beckendorff Junior High earned sixth place and narrowly missed placing fifth by just six points.

Science Olympiad is comprised of 27 individual events that assess students’ knowledge across various science fields, including life science, earth and space science, chemistry, technology and engineering, where only the nation’s top 60 teams in each category earn the chance to compete.

Perennial competitors Beckendorff and Seven Lakes represented the district last year, earning third place and twelfth place, respectively.

In Texas, Science Olympiad competition begins each fall with invitational meets, where students can hone their skills before regional and state tournaments in the spring. The state meet is held each year at Texas A&M University in College Station, and from there, two teams in each category advance to the national competition.

Founded in 1984, Science Olympiad is one of the nation’s most prestigious science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) competitions, testing students' knowledge of life sciences, computer science, anatomy and health, astronomy and other science fields.