Clinton City Council has committed $5,000 - $2,500 each for Clinton High School and Clinton Middle School - to help fund travel of Team Clinton to the National Science Olympiad, representing South Carolina.
The national tournament will be May 22-23 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Council approved the appropriation April 13 on a motion by Mayor Pro-tem Danny Cook. District 56 Superintendent Dr. David O’Shields, who with his wife Terri is a Team Clinton coach, said the money is welcome because of the cost of air travel these days.
Team Clinton won the South Carolina title in February in competition at Presbyterian College, where the SC Science Olympiad has been housed for the past two years after stints at The Citadel and Newberry College.
“We are very glad to represent the city,” O’Shields said. “Being smart is not a bad thing. Sometimes people will not use their full ability to show how smart they are, but these children are willing. These children can and are focused on the right things.”
O’Shields reflected on Team Clinton’s long history related to SC Science Olympiad, including the decades-long winning streak by Clinton Middle School/Bell Street Middle School. The former Bell Street campus in Clinton - now home to USC-Union - has a dedicated space set aside for the Science Olympiad team.
O’Shields credited Michael Mack, who has taught for 43 years with bringing Science Olympiad to Clinton in 1986, when the competition was housed at Newberry College. “There are 23 events (each for high school and middle school); it is a true Olympiad,” O’Shields said.
“We wanted to do a very good recognition of Clinton High School and Clinton Middle School, and congratulate you on winning State,” Mayor Randy Randall said. “I spoke to a Leadership SC group one year, and this was well into our domination of this event, and from a leadership member, I went through everything about our schools that is good. (I said) ‘One thing is about our middle school, we have won Science Olympiad 15 years in a row. We compete against every school in the state. Our children are whipping all y’all’s children, and I’ll put our kids up against yours any time.’ It is incredible what they (Team Clinton graduates) have gone on to do in life.”
Cook pointed out that Presbyterian College now for the past two years has played host to the South Carolina Science Olympiad. “PC is very proud of that, and appreciative that it was brought to PC,” he said.
This year, Team Clinton defended its 2025 state title. Top 3 team scores were (low score wins, just like in golf):
Division B,
Middle School
Clinton MS - 47
Oakridge MS (Clover) - 61
Banks Trail MS (Fort Mill) - 70
