GHS Academic Team places 3rd at state

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On May 6, the science academic team traveled to Purdue University to compete against six other teams for the State champion title; their 3rd place finish made GHS proud.

Coach Rich Perry was excited to have another chance at the state level.

“Our team has made it to state in 2002, 2012, 2016, and now this year. I coached for awhile during that 2002 era, then gave it up for a while. In 2011, I took it back over, and then the following year we went to State. When I found out we made it to state, I yelled and pumped my fists and hit my desk to where I scared all the teachers around my classroom because they thought something was wrong, but really I was just very excited,” Mr. Rich Perry said.

The stakes were high at the state level.

“My focus within the group is biology, so mostly I make sure I am memorizing terms and processes so I am able to explain them as thoroughly as possible. I also make sure I have our equations memorized correctly so we can go through the math questions easier. We are expecting some really tough questions and going against some very smart teams, but I am confident that we have prepared well and are able to perform well at the table,” senior Aurora Arthur said.

For senior Josh Harris, this was the first time he experienced State competition.

“I am expecting things to be more complicated and confusing when we go to State which makes preparation for competition just as fun. I have played soccer all four years of high school and have never really had the opportunity to join a team where only the elite are even allowed to go to compete in state. My favorite thing about academic team is all the jokes my teammates and I have made at the table during the first two competitions,” senior Josh Harris said.

Behind all of the success was so much studying and preparation.

“We go to Perry’s room every Tuesday and Thursday for half an hour to practice. I also spend time at home looking over my notes to get ready.. I will also look at questions from past competitions, which helps me to know what I possibly should expect at these competitions,” junior Ben Cruser said.

Junior John Gries had high expectations going into this competition.

“I am most looking forward to seeing what types of questions will show up at state and how they will try them harder than the area competitions. I am expecting that we will be able to finish within the top three and possible even win the whole category,” Gries said.

Many of the team members were surprised they made it to this point.

“We have a one in seven chance of winning, and of course I would like to win, but I am honestly just very excited to have made it this far. I was really surprised when I found out we made it to state because we did not think we were going to make it very far,” junior Michael Keller said.