As the head coach of the Bedford Middle School (BMS) Science Olympiad team, Dr. Daniel Cortright led his team to victory at the Science Olympiad state competition in Coventry on March 16. With this win, BMS secured a spot to represent Connecticut at the national Science Olympiad competition at Michigan State University on May 24 and 25.
Dr. Cortright has been with the program since 2017, starting out as an assistant coach before becoming head coach in the 2021-2022 season. The Science Olympiad program has had between 30 and 50 participants every year since its inception. This year, a total of 28 students competed with two teams of 14 due to some students having last minute illness or family commitments.
The Science Olympiad tournaments consist of 23 events covering diverse science and engineering topics, from building timed marble roller coasters to conducting experiments and solving complex challenges like deciphering coded messages. Students who participate in these events are given valuable experience in building devices, conducting experiments, and developing their problem-solving skills.
Dr. Cortright is proud of his team’s accomplishments and looks forward to what the future holds for them as they prepare for nationals. “My favorite part is watching students grow in success during their middle school years,” he said. “It is a great feeling to watch a young person realize that persistence really can pay off.”