Two Frazer School students qualify for U.S. Olympiad camps
Press release from The Frazer School
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two Frazer School students have been invited to U.S. Olympiad camps: Ajay Sawant will be attending the U.S. Biology Olympiad intensive camp, and Eric Li will be attending the U.S. Earth Science Olympiad camp.
The United States Biology Olympiad (USABO) is the most prestigious individual biology competition for American high schoolers. Over 10,000 biology students take the open exam, with around 450 continuing to the semifinals. Frazer School student Ajay Sawant passed this stage, becoming one of only 20 students in the U.S. who qualified for the intensive camp this summer. He is also the only Florida student among the 20 invited. Four of these students will then be selected to represent the United States in the International Biology Olympiad.
Coach David Buffkin said, “I am immensely proud of Ajay for this. He devotes crazy amounts of time to improving himself, and it clearly paid off. Not just for him: our bio presence has never been stronger in our team competitions as a result. It’s hard to explain how impressive making USABO camp is.”
The United States Earth Science Olympiad (USESO) is another individual Olympiad similar to USABO except for the geological sciences. Making camp in USESO is also extremely difficult and quite remarkable. Eric Li, another Frazer School student, has done so this year. Only 40 students nationally qualify for the camp. The list of the final 40 has not been publicly made available yet, but last year, no students from Florida qualified for the camp.
Coach Buffkin said, “One camper is already impressive. Two campers in one year—I’m smiling just thinking about it. Congratulations, Eric, on this wonderful achievement. Here’s hoping [he’ll make the] team!”
Principal Fayiga said, “Outside of making the United States Olympiad teams, this is the highest honor a student in their field can achieve. Both of these students are relatively young and currently in 10th grade. Their future looks very bright. I am so proud of these fine young men.”