The Manhattan High Science Olympiad team took third at state competition at Wichita State University last Saturday.

The MHS team had students entered in 23 categories, and placed within the top three in five, taking first in “Dynamic Planet,” and second in “Thermodynamics,” as well as third in the following categories: “Ecology,” “Mousetrap Vehicle” and “Optics.” These combined leave the team with a total of five individual medals from state.

“Only half the team even got medals,” member Styopa Zharkov, sophomore, said, “leaving us depressed and not wanting to stay for the team award ceremony. However, to all of our amazement, we got third place as a team.”

This is the second year in a row that the team has placed third in state competition. However, the team and their advisor Richard Nelson — who teaches AP Chemistry, and Advanced Chemistry, as well as Science Investigations — didn’t seem too upset with the results.

“We got significantly fewer individual medals this year,” four-year member Stephanie Fu, senior, said. “We were absolutely sure we hadn’t placed as a team at all. We were so shocked to hear we got third.”

Though the 2018 Science Olympiad season is over, the team is far from done. Their next steps are getting organized for next year’s team and continue to celebrate their victory with a team party to conclude the year.