Knightly News

Not pictured: Senior Emma Collier and members of the Class of 2021 Abhay Basireddy, Connor Porthouse and Alex Nelson.

According to the National Association of Independent Schools, “Independent schools nurture intellectual curiosity, stimulate personal growth, encourage critical thinking, and promote a lifelong love of learning.” So, how does that happen and what does that look like?

One way such learning is evident at Episcopal is through the concerted efforts for student-driven experiences. Whether this takes the form of a project-based unit in Lower School in which younger Knights delve deeper into a subject or Middle School students use technology to solve problems, the goal is the same. Faculty and staff want students to be engaged and retain information while developing a love for knowledge.

The success of Episcopal’s first Upper School Science Olympiad team is the perfect example of student-driven learning. According to the National Science Olympiad website, “Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each division. Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology.” The competition is offered with the goal of increasing participation in science.

Last year, members of the Episcopal Science Club chose to participate in the Louisiana Science Olympiad. The students were aware of the hours of preparation and practice required; however, they were undeterred. Even though no teacher or advisor required Science Olympiad participation of them, the students simply wanted to go that extra mile. Led by current senior Arya Patel, they began self-organizing. Drawing on the experience of former Middle School Science Olympiad competitor and current senior Aadit Narayanan, the students took part in 11 of the 17 events offered with tremendous success:

• Abhay Basireddy and Alex Nelson, 2nd in Chem Lab
• Abhay Basireddy and Justin Dynes, 3rd in Codebusters
• Connor Porthouse and Shuhei Niwano, 1st in Machines
• Arya Patel and Aadit Narayanan, 2nd in Ornithology
• Ayush Patel and Aadit Narayanan, 2nd in Write It, Do It
• Arya Patel and Ayush Patel, 4th in Anatomy and Physiology
• Arya Patel and Muskaan Mahes, 4th in Designer Genes

Upper School science teacher Sarah Pulliam, who also competed in Science Olympiad in high school is thrilled with the students’ success. She says there is real power in student-driven learning opportunities like Science Olympiad. “I’ve experienced this often in that students take real ownership of a situation or experience if they have the intrinsic motivation as opposed to an adult dictating participation, learning, etc. Kids also develop a sense of pride that might not otherwise occur if experiences are ‘set up’ for them.”

Pulliam says Arya was a driving force in getting the Science Olympiad team established. “Initiation and organization, especially when it involves other students, can be challenging but there’s so much that kids like Arya learn about motivating others that’s invaluable…such a life skill!” she says. Arya, who has loved science since Middle School, became interested in the competition because she wanted to explore her passion for science more outside of the classroom. For her, the reason to organize her classmates was simple. “After learning about Science Olympiad through teachers and researching online, I decided that bringing it to Episcopal could be a great way to encourage student interest in science and help students deepen existing interests in specific topics,” she says. “Science Olympiad includes a broad range of events, ranging from engineering and modeling to biology and experimental design, so I could see it being a fit for multiple students.” Ultimately, the majority of the Science Club members found the right fit in the competition with some of the students even competing in multiple events.

Arya’s ornithology teammate and co-organizer, Aadit is no stranger to Science Olympiad. He has competed in the event since the seventh grade. He and his former middle school teammates even won state and placed in the top 25 at nationals. “I enjoy Science Olympiad because it’s a new challenge every year,” says Aadit. “Sometimes the events change, and you have to completely learn a new topic and you get to choose to learn a lot about something you’re passionate about. I’ve learned so many interesting and new things and found topics I really enjoy learning about.”

That joy of learning is what makes student-driven experiences so impactful. Pulliam says students are willing to put in the hours of study time because they are organizing the effort. For the recent competition, students met after school numerous times a week. In addition, faculty mentors stayed after the last bell rang to offer any assistance they could provide. Pulliam says Science Olympiad is a “true extracurricular” with no academic credits earned. Such commitment from the students shows what Pulliam describes as the “self-driven and motivated nature” of Episcopal students.

What’s next for this motivated group of science enthusiasts? They hope to compete in the Olympiad again this year, while also managing the demands of their coursework and applying to universities. It’s sure to be a fulfilling year!

Join us in congratulating the Episcopal Science Olympiad competitors! Share a comment with them in the comments section below.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.