2023 Rhode Island Science Olympiad State Champions honored

The Kickemuit Science Olympiad Team and advisor Kerri Krawcyzk were recognized for being 2023 State Champions at the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee meeting on May 8. (Photo courtesy Bristol Warren Regional School District)

Superintendent Ana C. Riley and Principal Dennis Morrell are thrilled to share that the Kickemuit Middle School Science Olympiad Team was recognized by the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee for being named 2023 Rhode Island Science Olympiad State Champions.

The Bristol Warren Regional School Committee recognized 19 Kickemuit Science Olympiad Team members and advisor Kerri Krawcyzk for their outstanding work at the 2023 Rhode Island Science Olympiad State Championship, which culminated in the team being named the overall State Champion in Division B. 

The 19 Kickemuit Middle School Science Olympiad Team members who participated in the State Championship and were recognized by the school committee include: Rowen Mark, Nathan James, Leo Willner, Parker Oliver, Marissa Cabral, Kenny Dunning, Alex Barowy, Avery Walsh, Samantha Campbell, Lex Medeiros, Lily Parisi, Ellie Donovan, Elise Lanoie, Evan Vallante, Hazel Bradley, Emma Quigley, Jack Godbout, Imogen Miller and Desmond Blackbeard.

“On behalf of the district and school committee, I would like to recognize our KMS Science Olympiad Team’s amazing accomplishments at this year’s Science Olympiad State Championship,” Superintendent Riley said. “It’s no easy feat to be named State Champions, however, our students rose to the occasion and excelled in their events.”

The Science Olympiad State Championship was hosted at Rhode Island College on April 22. At the event, the Kickemuit Science Olympiad Team competed against 11 other schools in 18 different events. Only three schools, including KMS, entered every single event, which resulted in KMS students cross-training in up to three events.

The Kickemuit Science Olympiad Team took home several medals — five gold, five silver and one bronze — as well as other awards.

Awards included the following:

Gold Medal: Nathan James and Rowen Mark in Fast Facts Nathan James and Marissa Cabral in Road Scholar Nathan James and Rowen Mark in Meteorology Leo Willner and Parker Oliver in Flight Kenny Dunning and Alex Barowy in Wheeled Vehicle 

Silver Medal: Leo Willner and Alex Barowy in Dynamic Planet Lex Medeiros and Lily Parisi in Crime Busters Parker Oliver and Rowen Mark in Solar System Evan Vallante and Hazel Bradley in Forestry Samantha Campbell and Avery Walsh in Anatomy and Physiology 

Bronze Medal: Ellie Donovan and Samantha Campbell in Write It Do It 

4th Place: Elise Lanoie, Ellie Donovan and Marissa Cabral in Experimental Design Avery Walsh and Evan Vallante in Disease Detectives 

5th Place: Leo Willner and Avery Walsh in Storm the Castle Lily Parisi and Hazel Bradley in Green Generation Emma Quigley and Elise Lanoie in Bridge 

6th Place: Emma Quigley and Hazel Bradley in Bio-Process Lab 

8th Place: Marissa Cabral and Samantha Campbell in Roller Coaster Godbout served as an alternate but helped build the Bridge and worked on the Storm the Castle event. Miller joined the team recently and helped with the Roller Coaster, Bridge and Forestry events. Blackbeard also helped with the Storm the Castle event and participated in the Science Bowl at the competition.

As State Champions, the KMS Science Olympiad Team is invited to represent Rhode Island at the National Tournament at Wichita State University in Kansas later this month. 

“Our Science Olympiad Team members devote much of their time to practicing and perfecting their craft, and their hard work paid off at the 2023 State Championship,” Principal Morrell said. “We greatly look forward to them wow-ing the crowd with their skills and expertise at the National Tournament, and we ask that you all join us in wishing them good luck!”

About the Rhode Island Science Olympiad 2023The Science Olympiad is a national program that was created to increase interest in science. It has members in all 50 states with more than 12,000 actively participating K-12 schools. The Science Olympiad aims to teach science by involving students in active, hands-on activities that emphasize problem solving and the scientific process. In state and national competitions, winners of individual events win athletic-style medals, with winning teams earning trophies. At the national level, there are substantial scholarships awarded to top winners.