Presbyterian College chosen as the host of Annual South Carolina Science Olympiad
In an exciting development, Presbyterian College (PC), based in Clinton, South Carolina, has been selected as the host of the forthcoming 2025 South Carolina Science Olympiad, the state’s top-ranking science contest for students from Kindergarten through grade 12.
Presbyterian College Embraces the Science Olympiad
Community leaders and academic heads-of-state have proclaimed the announcement as a major honor and opportunity. PC President Anita Gustafson responded enthusiastically in a statement, “Presbyterian College is highly gratified to be named as the host for the South Carolina Science Olympiad. It’s a great honor to welcome students from all corners of the state to compete in this prestigious contest. We eagerly await the arrival of South Carolina’s prospective scientists, providing them with a motivating environment where they can test their abilities both collectively and individually.”
Notable Wins for the Clinton Community
The Science Olympiad has strong ties with the Clinton community, marking notable victories from both Bell Street Middle and Clinton Middle Schools – laureates of the state Science Olympiad 22 times out of the last 38 years. A dominating streak was particularly marked between 2003 and 2019, during which the schools won consecutively for 17 years. High achieving Clinton High School has also claimed 13 state championship titles.
PC: The New Home of the Science Olympiad
District 56 Superintendent and temporary Science Olympiad director, David O’Shields, expressed his elation, dubbing PC as the new permanent abode for the Olympiad as a “dream come true.” He said, “Presbyterian College has always been recognized for its solid science program, and it has further amplified its reputation with the addition of the School of Pharmacy and the occupational therapy and physician assistant programs.”
Revealing a larger community vision, O’Shields further explained, “Our community has profoundly united behind the aspiration of turning the City of Clinton into ‘Science City, S.C.’ and I cannot imagine a better place for this to take place than at PC. I often think of the College as a hidden gem that will now allow students from across the state to appreciate its beautiful campus and skilled faculty through the Olympic platform.”
