Students from the Madison Metropolitan School District’s (MMSD) Velma B. Hamilton Middle School and West High School earned top finishes at the 2026 Science Olympiad National Tournament, held this past weekend at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
West High School placed fourth overall in the Division C (high school) competition, while Hamilton Middle School finished 20th nationally in the Division B (middle school) tournament. Teams from across the country qualified for the national event after advancing through regional and state-level competitions.
“This accomplishment reflects an extraordinary level of dedication, collaboration and intellectual curiosity from our students,” said Dan Kigeya, principal of West High School. “To compete at this level against some of the top teams in the nation and finish fourth overall is an incredible achievement that makes our entire school community proud.”
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Across 23 event categories, West earned 10 top-10 finishes, including first place in Machines, second place in Astronomy and third place in Chemistry Lab. Hamilton recorded four top-10 finishes: eighth place in Meteorology and Mission Possible, ninth place in Metric Mastery and 10th place in Potions and Poisons.
Hamilton Middle School’s top-20 finish marked another strong national showing for the school’s nationally recognized Science Olympiad program.
“The incredible success of this Science Olympiad season is a direct reflection of the tireless dedication and countless hours poured in by our students, staff, volunteers and parents,” said James Kamoku, principal of Hamilton Middle School. “At the heart of this achievement is [eighth-grade science teacher and Olympiad coach] Katie Venturini, whose exceptional leadership not only anchored this team but inspired a level of teamwork that made the impossible possible. Earning a top-20 finish at the national tournament is a monumental milestone, and it stands as a testament to the unwavering hard work of our entire community.”
Science Olympiad challenges students through rigorous, team-based competitions that emphasize problem-solving, engineering design, laboratory skills and scientific knowledge. Events range from building engineering prototypes and conducting laboratory investigations to completing written assessments across multiple scientific disciplines.
MMSD has a longstanding tradition of excellence in Science Olympiad, with students regularly advancing to state and national competition through strong performances in Wisconsin tournaments.
Both Hamilton and West won the middle and high school competitions in the Wisconsin State Tournament, which took place at Medford Area Senior High School in April.
