RANCHO PENASQUITOS – Xiaroan “Taylor” Yi, a junior at Westview High School, is one of 20 top high school chemistry students in the country who will be competing for a spot on the four-person U.S. team for the International Chemistry Olympiad.
Taylor, a finalist last year, is the only San Diego County teen chosen from about 10,000 students nationwide after a series of tests. In addition to Taylor, the 20 finalists include three others from California. New Jersey boasts six finalists.
The finalists will attend a two-week study camp next month at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The students will receive college-level training at the camp, with an emphasis on organic chemistry. At the end, four students will be chosen to represent the United States at the international contest to be held in July in Gyeongsan, South Korea.
Taylor, who has a 4.5 grade-point average, hopes his experience as a finalist last year will give him an advantage. “The camp is intensive, you get a lot of laboratory experience and you're sleep-deprived . . . but you learn a lot and now I know what to expect,” he said.
The U.S. team, sponsored by the American Chemical Society, will compete with teams from more than 60 countries. Each country sends four contestants and two coaches to the competition for seven to 10 days of exams, lectures, recreation and tours.
The International Chemistry Olympiad originated with Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary in 1968. The first U.S. team competed in 1984. A U.S. team member won the gold medal at the Olympiad in 1999 and 2000. Last year, two California team members each brought home a silver medal from the Olympiad in Taipei, Taiwan.
Blanca Gonzalez: (760) 737-7576; blanca.gonzalez@uniontrib.com
