PRISMS Students Shine at Berkeley Chemistry Tournament and USNCO National 2025

On March 15, PRISMS sent two teams, each composed of four students, to the Berkeley Chemistry Tournament at the University of California, Berkeley-marking our school's first-ever participation. The prestigious competition attracted 32 teams from across the nation.

Both PRISMS teams delivered outstanding performances. Team B, led by Captain Eric C. '27 with team members Meric X. '25, Jeffrey Y. '27, and Samuel D. '27, secured 1st place. Team A, under Captain Jonathan H. '25, and members Sigma L. '25, Alex Z. '27, and Wendy Z. '26, achieved an impressive 2nd place.

In the Individual Round, PRISMS students dominated, securing 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th places, with Wendy achieving first place out of all 120 participants. Overall, our students earned 28 out of the 53 available awards-an extraordinary accomplishment highlighting the exceptional strength and continuous growth of our competitive chemistry program.

Jonathan and Wendy further distinguished themselves at the US National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) National Exam held in April. Jonathan ranked among the top 20 nationwide, earning an invitation to the intensive two-week USNCO Study Camp at the University of Maryland in June. There, he will compete for one of the four spots on the US team for the 2025 International Chemistry Olympiad. Wendy received a High Honors Award, ranking within the top 50 nationwide.

Additionally, Wendy was nominated for the prestigious Hubert Alyea Award, presented jointly by Princeton University and the Princeton Local Section of the American Chemical Society, recognizing her exceptional enthusiasm, outstanding achievements, and dedication to studying chemistry and related sciences.

Congratulations to all our accomplished students! We also extend our sincere gratitude to our dedicated chemistry coaches, Dr. Chen and Mr. Zhang, whose mentorship, guidance, and unwavering support have helped our students realize their full potential.