#LasallianLife
Science Olympiad - A Different Kind of Buzzer-Beater
January 27, 2023
A few weeks ago, I shared two video clips of stunning buzzer-beating shots that were made by our basketball teams. For those of you who either played for Coach Wleklinski and Coach Leone, or have been fortunate to know them, these shots did not just happen! Watching practice at any point throughout their 39 years of coaching at CBA, you would see that the “4 Man” always knows to inbound the basketball after a made shot. The “5 Man” is coached to instinctively sprint towards the basket in hopes of a quick layup. From the replay alone, you may draw the incorrect conclusion that the buzzer-beater was luck. In truth, it reflected all of the individuals performing their role perfectly, coach and players - resulting in the success of the team.
This past weekend, we witnessed a different kind of buzzer-beating shot. Similar to basketball, it was an amazing example of intentionality, skill, and teamwork - this time it resulted in the success of our CBA Science Olympiad team. The intentionality comes first from the philanthropic support during our most recent capital campaign to build a state of the art makerspace and engineering lab. This facility has inspired the growth and excellence of our science offerings. The skill comes from our outstanding moderator, CBA science teacher, Mr. Griffin Harmon. In addition, it comes from our team of science teachers who ignite passion and impart wisdom. Finally, it comes from our committed and talented students. To achieve success, each of these “players” needed to perform their role perfectly.
I am proud to announce that the result of these efforts was our team qualifying for the NYS Science Olympiad Championships! We were one of 5 teams to qualify out of the 34 teams that competed. To achieve this feat, our students finished in the top 10 of all 15 events!
We are extremely proud of our Science Olympiad team, our Science Department, and our outstanding students! Much like basketball, it took each “player” doing their very best for the team to succeed.
Found within these examples is an important educational lesson for our young students - achievements are a team effort. Quite often, it takes putting aside the role that one would like to play and performing the role that one needs to play for the team's greater success. Other times, it takes being a good “teammate” in every sense of the word. Taken together, these lessons of teamwork translate to a lifelong impact on our families, communities, and the world around us. This is our Lasallian buzzer-beater in life.
Congratulations to our students, teachers, and supporters for this outstanding achievement in the Regional Science Olympiad Championship! Good luck in the state competition! GO BROTHERS!
Sincerely,
Mr. Matthew Keough
President, Christian Brothers Academy
"None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful."
~Mother Teresa
