Physics teacher Ms. Rubenchik joined Ramapo only a year ago, but she’s already made her mark on the school. Revitalizing the Science Club, which had been running on and off over the past couple of years, Ms. Rubenchik created Ramapo’s first Science Olympiad. “I hope that we will build a community where students can develop their science and engineering interests and get recognition,” she expressed. The Science Olympiad is perfect for students interested in any field of science and engineering, whether it be pre-med, anatomy, robots, insects, rocks and minerals, coding, aviation, or astronomy.
On top of providing a space for students to explore science outside the classroom and connect with friends with similar interests, the Science Olympiad will be competing in a regional competition in January. There will be 28 teams competing and a series of 12 events that involve tests and testing pre-built devices. Led by co-presidents Mia Tarta and Ethan Zhang, they are currently working on creating smaller, individualized groups for specific topics, as the competition requires them to be proficient in many specific areas. Mia added, “If you’re wanting to get involved in the club but not sure about competing, you can be a supporting member and help with fundraising and attend meetings without the stress of going to competition.” They have already begun funding for the competition with a successful bake sale in October.
In the immediate future, the Science Olympiad team is hopeful that they will place in the top three at regionals, as it would allow them to move on to the state level competition. In the long run, on the other hand, they are hoping to continue growing in membership and gaining more experience. To get involved, students should email or reach out to Ms. Rubenchik. Still, the Science Olympiad has already grown tremendously, and Rampage can’t wait to see what they accomplish.
