The Science Olympiad team competed in the regional competition at Johnson County Community College last Saturday, Feb. 27, placing sixth out of 22 total teams with a score of 197.

The team medaled in seven of the 23 total competitions (meaning they placed in the top six teams). These competitions were: Game On, Air Trajectory, Fossils, Forensics, Electric Vehicle, Invasive Species and Dynamic Planet.

Isa Cabanas and Alexis Abadayan, seniors, placed first in the forensics competition. The competition involves teams using a variety of scientific tests to determine a suspect and solve a crime.

“They give an outline of a crime, four powders, four fibers, polymers, plastics, blood samples and we have to test them,” Cabanas said. “There are four suspects and we have to find out which one it is and prove it using evidence.”

According to Cabanas, the team is provided with a binder full of materials to use during the tests.

“I’ve been doing forensics since seventh grade, so I pretty much knew what to do. Alexis also knew what she was doing so we split it up. I took powders and the papers and she took the plastics and fibers and polymers,” Cabanas said.

The team will move on to the state round at Wichita State on April 2.