Mason High Science Olympiad places third nationally, state champions recognized by board
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Summary
Mason High School’s Science Olympiad team, with roughly 116 members across levels, won the state title and placed third at the national tournament; board and parents praised coaches and the program’s feeder structure while the Mason Schools Foundation approved grants to support student and staff programming.
Mason High School’s Science Olympiad team returned to the board meeting after a season that produced a state championship and a third-place national finish.
Coach Steven Seiler and student leaders described a season built on deep participation: the varsity competitive roster is drawn from roughly 116 high-school participants and a larger program that now includes middle- and intermediate-school teams. “We have about a 116, a 118 people that do Science Olympiad at the high school level every year,” student captain Neesh Iyer said, describing a program that fields competitors across 23 distinct events that combine to produce a team score.
At nationals the team placed third overall and produced multiple top finishes: district presenters said the team earned eight top‑6 national finishes (national medals), 11 top‑10 placings, and two national event championships. The program also tallied 10 state gold medals and medaled in 22 of 23 events at the state tournament.
Parents and volunteer coaches praised the program and its legacy-building approach: parent speakers Frank Lewell and Tony Randazzo thanked the board and coaches, noting that alumni mentorship--high-school students teaching middle- and intermediate-school teammates--has strengthened the pipeline and the team’s sustainability. “Without him, I think the team is hard to be continuous,” volunteer Tony Randazzo said of lead coach Steven Seiler.
Board members and administrators highlighted the program’s broader benefits: student leaders explained how the wide set of events teaches collaboration, problem solving and exposure to STEM disciplines, and Superintendent Jonathan Cooper said such programs help students discover career trajectories and develop professional skills. Director comments tied the team’s achievements to community reputation: “If you go to the nationals, if you mention you are made from Mason, there's a wow,” one parent said.
The Mason Schools Foundation reported grants approved in the same board cycle that will support district programming: a $14,500 grant to support staff professional learning kickoff (AJ Giuliani speaker) and a $9,000 grant toward a fueling/performance nutrition center for student athletes in the new weight-room facility. Foundation leaders also approved a $2,000 elementary reading‑challenge allocation tied to an existing outdoor-classroom grant.
Coaches and students said the program’s early fall preparation—event leaders teaching newcomers and builders working on “build” events—was key to success, and described travel to major tournaments (MIT, Ohio State and Solon) as part of the competitive calendar. The board and community speakers encouraged continued support for staffing, volunteers and modest funding to sustain travel and multi-year program development.
