Schools
Arcadia High Chemistry Whiz Heads to Olympiad Study Camp
The student is one of 20 nationwide chosen for a chance to compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad. Only four students will represent the U.S. in the fierce competition.
An Arcadia High School senior and national chemistry champion, Timothy Man Hay Lee, has qualified to compete for one of four spots in the U.S. team heading for the 44th annual International Chemistry Day, the American Chemical Society announced this week.
“Timothy Lee is one of the brightest chemistry students I had in my teaching career. He loves chemistry, likes working as part of a team, and enjoys the thrill of competition,” said Cherryl Mynster, his AP chemistry teacher and science bowl coach, in a statement.
Mynster said that this is the ninth time since 2003 that Arcadia High has a student qualifying for the study camp and it has been seven years since the school had a student represent the U.S. in the International Chemistry Olympiad.
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“I’m excited about Timothy’s chances of being part of the U.S. Chemistry Olympiad Team,” Mysnter said in a statement.
Lee is one of only 20 students in the nation invited to the two-week intensive study camp at U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. He had previously attended the study camp in 2010 and 2011. The competition for the opportunity to be part of the international team was fierce and began with a three-part exam taken by at least 12,000 high school students in the U.S. Lee’s performance on this exam resulted in the opportunity to take the National Chemistry Olympiad test.
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Out of more than 1,000 of the nation’s best chemistry students who took the national test, he advanced to the top 20. Lee will be heading to the study camp being held from June 5-20. During the camp, he will receive college-level training with an emphasis on organic chemistry, through a series of lectures, problem-solving exercises, lab work and testing.
At the camp’s conclusion, four students will be chosen to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad where they will compete with their peers from more than 70 nations for gold, silver and bronze medals.
This fall, Lee will attend Stanford University, pursuing a degree in one of the sciences.
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