Junior High Science Olympiad Teams Dominate at Regional Competition

Science Olympiad teams from both Murphy JHS and Gelinas JHS will be competing at the state competition in April, following their dominant performances at the Eastern Long Island Regional Tournament earlier this month.

Gelinas placed teams in first place, third place, fourth place, fifth place and sixth place, while Murphy placed teams in second place, seventh place, and tenth place. The Gelinas team won state championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010, and qualified for the national competition nine times out of the last 10 years. The Murphy team has advanced to the state competition for seven consecutive years and has finished in the top three at the state level for the past five years in a row.

“One of the reasons for our success is the amount of time that these students devote to preparing for the tournaments, and their dedication to each other," Gelinas coach Gary Vorwald said. "Our more experienced members mentor their newer teammates and even our alumni come back from the high school to help mentor our team. The students come to practice during vacations and on Saturdays to improve their skills. This dedication and work ethic, as well as holding high standards, has helped Gelinas achieve such success.”

Murphy co-coach Sue McGuire, who coaches the team along with Derek Angermaier and Jackie Stiegert, echoed similar sentiments.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the students’ hard work and determination. They have put a tremendous amount of time and energy into their studies and are much deserving of the recognition they have received,” McGuire said.