Student teams from Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas, and Sierra Vista Middle School in Irvine, California, took top honors at the 41st Annual Science Olympiad National Tournament at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln on May 24. This is the first time Seven Lakes High School has captured the title and adds another championship for Sierra Vista Middle School, which previously won in 2022.
“I am so excited to celebrate the success of all the teams,” said Dan Nichols, Science Olympiad executive director. “It was clear from the joy on the students’ faces as they were crowned champions that all their hard work and dedication paid off.”
U.S. Olympic gold medalist and Nebraska Engineering faculty member Curt Tomasevicz gave the keynote address, discussing his journey as a Husker football player, bobsledding champion and bioengineer. He encouraged students to take risks and follow their dreams.
“Science is about experimenting,” he said. “My advice to you is to try something new, do that scary thing; it will open doors and take you a long way.”
UNL Chancellor Rodney D. Bennett gave welcoming remarks, advising students to “reach beyond the ordinary to achieve something truly extraordinary.”
One of the nation’s most prestigious science, technology, engineering and math competitions, Science Olympiad brings together 120 middle and high school teams who advanced from state-level competitions this spring. Rigorous hands-on and lab events led by experts from government agencies, top universities, industry and Science Olympiad state chapters cover topics in engineering, physics, epidemiology, astronomy, chemistry, robotics and coding. A full list of 2025 National Tournament award recipients and official tournament results, including event-by-event scoring is available here.
Other top high school (Division C) winners at the National Tournament were:
- Second: Harriton High School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
- Third: Mason High School, Mason, Ohio
- Fourth: Solon High School, Solon, Ohio
- Fifth: Troy High School, Fullerton, California
- Sixth: New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois
- Seventh: Madison West High School, Madison, Wisconsin
- Eighth: Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, California
- Ninth: Marquette University High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- 10th: Montgomery High School, Skillman, New Jersey
Other top middle school (Division B) winners at the National Tournament were:
- Second: Kennedy Middle School, Cupertino, California
- Third: Solon Middle School, Solon, Ohio
- Fourth: Basis Cedar Park, Cedar Park, Texas
- Fifth: Daniel Wright Junior High School, Lincolnshire, Illinois
- Sixth: Beckendorff Junior High School, Katy, Texas
- Seventh: Springhouse Middle School, Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Eighth: Hudson Middle School, Hudson, Ohio
- Ninth: Ladue Middle School, St. Louis, Missouri
- 10th: Marie Murphy School, Wilmette, Illinois
Teams from St. Joseph’s Catholic Middle School in Boise, Idaho, and C.G. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, earned the Science Olympiad Spirit Award (including $2,000 for their team), which recognizes schools whose team members exhibit sportsmanship, teamwork, team spirit and respect that exemplifies the spirit of Science Olympiad competition. In addition, Clague Middle School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Lexington High School in Lexington, Massachusetts, won the Corteva Team Enterprise Award, recognizing breakout performances by teams at the National Tournament.
Before the tournament, five $10,000 Founders’ Scholarships were presented to outstanding high school seniors from the Science Olympiad USA Foundation: Daniel Saptari of Lexington High School in Lexington, Massachusetts; Joelle Cheeseman from Northwood High School in Irvine, California; Jos Buffington from Minnetonka High School in Excelsior, Minnesota; Hamza Amara from Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois; and Misha Nasarpuri from Sunset High School in Portland, Oregon. More about the scholarship and the founders — Gerard and Sharon Putz of Michigan and Jack Cairns of Delaware — can be found here.
Science Olympiad is supported nationally by the Science Olympiad USA Foundation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Southern California, NASA’s Universe of Learning Astrophysics STEM Learning and Literacy Network, Atwell Gives Foundation, Avantor Foundation, Ward’s Science, Ramboll, Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation, Corteva Agriscience, Combined Federal Campaign, Double Good Foundation, Google, ADM, Aerospace Corporation, Amcor Cares Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cambridge Centre for International Research, CodeHS, Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, InGenius Prep, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, North American Association for Environmental Education, National Free Flight Society, OnShape, Prequel, SkyCiv, Texas Instruments, TKS, University of Delaware, Catalent, Investing in Communities, Yale Young Global Scholars, Japan Science and Technology Agency, mHUB, Midnight Science Club, Million Women Mentors, MxD, NBC Universal Foundation and STEMConnector.
Major local sponsors included the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Visit Lincoln. Additional support and facilities were provided by the College of Engineering, College of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and Human Sciences, Campus Recreation, UNL Housing and Nebraska Athletics.
