The Middle School Science Olympiad team is back from States—and they’ve set a new standard. With a ninth-place finish, the highest in program history, and a collection of state medals in hand, this crew proved they can compete with the very best. The margins tell the story: just three points shy of eighth place and eleven from seventh in a field that began with 145 schools and narrowed to 45 at the state level. Even more, they climbed another spot from last year and earned distinction as the second-highest placing private school in North Carolina.

In short: momentum is real, and it’s building. Now, let’s celebrate our scientists:

Medaling Events:

2nd Place:
Scrambler – Aanya Chakunta, ’30 & Lucy Yang, ‘31

3rd place:
Metric Mastery – Yuna Kim, ’30, Zofia Wang, ‘30

8th Place:
Codebusters – Anthony Liu, ’31, Ryan Xu, ’31, & Sylvie Knott, ‘30

Crimebusters – Aanya Chakunta, Lanlan Huang, ‘30

Experimental Design – Aashritha Karthik Kamu, ’31, Lucy Yang, & Shriya Shah, ‘31

9th Place:
Anatomy and Physiology – Ryan Xu &Elena Huang, ’30

Mission Possible – Raahi Desai, ’31 & Sylvie Knott

We also want to highlight our 11th place finishes, just one spot away from medaling:

11th Place:
Botany – Caroline Yang, ’32, Aarna Shah, ‘32

Circuit Lab – Lanlan Huang, Alex Launiau, ‘31

Helicopter – Anthony Liu, Alex Launiau

Quantum Detanglers – Audrey Graff, ’30, Olivia Hu, ‘30

Solar System – Anwen Baugh, ’30, Sophie Mei, ‘30

These results show just how deep, competitive, and impressive this entire team was across the board, not just competing side by side, but thinking together, problem solving together, and celebrating each other’s wins like they were their own. We are incredibly proud of what they accomplished this season, and even more excited for what is ahead. Way to go, Chargers!

 

 

Dear Cary Academy Community,

As Cary Academy prepares for the leadership transition ahead, the Board of Directors has established an Ad Hoc Board Transition Committee to support this process.

The committee’s charge is to help ensure a smooth and thoughtful transition as we honor Mike Ehrhardt’s final year as Head of School and prepare to welcome Paul Turnbull to Cary Academy. Its work will focus on three primary areas: supporting Paul’s introduction to the community, coordinating plans to celebrate Mike’s leadership and departure, and helping Paul and his wife, Leslie, feel welcomed and connected as they prepare for their move to Cary Academy.

Chaired by Tami Polge, the committee includes members of the Board of Directors and the Leadership Team: Joan Davis, Aleta McClenney, Fernando Pulido, Vivek Munshi, Heather Clarkson, and Ali Page, with support from RG175 consultant Bob Henderson.

We are grateful to these leaders for their willingness to serve the school in this important work. More information will be shared as the transition progresses.

Warmly,
Trude R. Bate
Chair, Board of Directors

 

 

US Robotics Team ended their regular season this past weekend with an awesome 2nd place finish and taking home one of the most prestigious awards. Your Chargers, team #5160, competed in their first competition of the season, on March 6–7 at Heritage High School in Wake Forest. Out of 29 teams, our students had an outstanding performance during qualification rounds, finishing with a 9–3 record and earning an impressive 4th overall ranking. This strong showing reflected months of hard work, thoughtful strategy, and excellent teamwork both on and off the field.

During alliance selection, Team 5160 proudly captained the 4th alliance, selecting Team 6502 (Darc Side) from Durham Academy and Team 6240 (Eagles of the Night) from Warrenton, NC. Together, the alliance entered the playoffs with high momentum and confidence. Unfortunately, during the playoff bracket, a mechanical issue with our robot impacted performance, resulting in an upset loss to the 5th alliance. As this tournament followed a double-elimination format, the team had a second opportunity, facing Alliance 7 in the lower bracket. Despite a determined effort and strong play, our alliance was ultimately outmatched, falling by a score of 175–116, ending our run in the tournament.

While the playoff results were disappointing, the overall experience was a tremendous success for our team. Ranking 4th in a competitive field and successfully leading an alliance at our first event is an achievement the students can be proud of. Even more importantly, the team demonstrated resilience, professionalism, and a growth mindset—qualities that will serve them well as the season continues.

Last weekend they attended their second tournament, once again held at Heritage High School in Wake Forest. This event proved to be an especially challenging test. The Chargers entered qualifications with what was widely regarded as the toughest match schedule in the tournament. They faced Team 9496, Lynk, currently ranked 5th in the world, three times during qualification rounds. They also faced Team 9032, Robo Whales, considered the second-best robot at the event, once during qualifications.

Despite the difficulty of the schedule, the Chargers rose to the challenge, finishing with a strong 8–4 record and earning the 5th seed after qualifying rounds. One of the most exciting moments came when Team 5160 earned a victory over the formidable Lynk, while paired alongside none other than the Robo Whales—a testament to both strategic play and consistent performance under pressure.

During alliance selection, the Chargers were thrilled to be chosen by Team 6500, the Gear Cats (Raleigh), joining forces with Team 6908, Infuzed (Cary) to form Alliance #3.

This time, playoff performance was much more successful. Alliance #3 won their first two playoff matches before dropping into the lower bracket. Refusing to back down, they fought their way through and won their fourth playoff match, earning a spot in the best-of-three finals against Alliance #1. That powerhouse alliance featured Lynk, Robo Whales, and Team 10121, TMSA Mecha Tiger.

Unfortunately, Alliance #1 proved too strong and the Chargers fell in two matches. Despite this, the team was proud to hold their opponents below their average scoring and celebrate an outstanding 2nd place finish at the tournament.

The weekend ended on an even higher note during the awards ceremony, when Team 5160 was honored with the Engineering Inspiration Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the FIRST Robotics Competition. This award recognizes teams that demonstrate exceptional commitment to sharing a passion for STEM within their school, community, and beyond.

We would like to give special recognition to senior Daniel Chen, our lead coder. Daniel works collaboratively with six other programmers across the country to develop programming documentation and support resources for less-experienced FIRST Robotics teams, which is an incredible example of leadership, service, and outreach.

With this momentum, the Chargers now advance to the FIRST NC State Championship, taking place in Greensboro from April 10–12.

You can follow Team 5160’s journey on Instagram at @chargers5160, and find more information about the State Championship, including opportunities to volunteer and upcoming livestream links at:
https://www.firstnorthcarolina.org/2026-first-nc-frc-state-championship

We are incredibly proud of the Chargers and excited to see what lies ahead. Thank you to our students, mentors, and families for making this possible. Go Chargers!

 

 

Paul Turnbull

Paul Turnbull, PhD, is an accomplished educational leader with nearly three decades of experience guiding schools and school systems toward innovation, excellence, and long-term sustainability. Since 2013, he has served as President of Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, leading a PK–12 community of approximately 1,400 students and positioning the school as an internationally recognized leader in Deeper Learning, arts, and innovation. Under his leadership, Mid-Pacific launched pioneering initiatives including an Immersive Technology Program and a first-of-its-kind AI Advisory Council, while significantly strengthening institutional advancement and endowment growth. Dr. Turnbull has also cultivated transformative partnerships with organizations such as the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, Waseda University (Japan), and the Smithsonian Institution, expanding opportunities for students and faculty alike.

A strategic thinker and collaborative leader, Dr. Turnbull has demonstrated deep expertise in governance, enrollment management, faculty development, and financial stewardship. He founded the Center for Educational Advancement at Mid-Pacific, which annually serves hundreds of educators from public, private, and charter schools, and he currently contributes to the preparation of future leaders as a lecturer in the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa’s program in Independent School Leadership. His prior leadership roles include serving as Superintendent of the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District in California, Assistant Superintendent of the Santa Barbara High School District, and principal of both Santa Barbara High School and Goleta Valley Junior High School, where he led major modernization projects, program innovation, and community engagement initiatives.

Dr. Turnbull began his career as a teacher and athletic director in an International Baccalaureate school in Canada and has remained deeply committed to teaching and learning throughout his leadership journey. He holds a PhD in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, as well as graduate and undergraduate degrees in educational leadership, education, English, and physical education from Canadian universities. An active contributor to the broader educational community, he has served on numerous boards and councils, spoken at national and international conferences, and been recognized among EdTech Digest’s Top 100 influencers. Widely respected for his forward-looking vision and dedication to student-centered learning, Dr. Turnbull is known for fostering vibrant school cultures that prepare young people to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Since moving to Hawaii, Dr. Turnbull has most enjoyed time with his wife, Leslie, a writer and a communications and advancement professional – whether on the water, on the trails, or traveling – while staying closely connected to their two sons, both attorneys, and their daughter, a college senior.

 

 

Our Middle School Science Olympiad teams delivered extraordinary performances this weekend at the Chatham County Regional Tournament. The varsity team dominated the field, earning the first-place team trophy and securing a spot at the State Tournament this April. The JV team captured the second-place team trophy in a dramatic finish, tying for first place on total points as well as first- and second-place medals, only losing the tiebreaker by a single bronze medal. The team was also honored with the Conan Spirit Award for exemplifying sportsmanship, teamwork, and positivity throughout the day. Varsity competitors medaled in all 18 events, combining with the JV team to bring home an impressive 59 medals.

Congratulations to all of our medalists!

First Place Medalists

Varsity

Anatomy & Physiology — Elena Huang, ‘30, Ryan Xu, ‘31

Crime Busters — Aanya Chakunta, ‘30, Lanlan Huang, ‘30

Helicopter — Alex Launiau, ‘31, Anthony Liu, ‘31

Metric Mastery — Yuna Kim, ‘30, Zofia Wang, ‘30

JV

Boomilever — Evelyn Eubanks, ‘31, Olivia Hu, ‘30

Dynamic Planet — Alex McClary, ‘32, Aria Tsang, ‘32

Helicopter — Autus Li, ‘32, Jiya Malhotra, ‘32

Machines — Autus Li, Leah Zheng, ‘32

Water Quality — Olivia Hu, Audrey Graff, ‘30

Second Place Medalists

Varsity

Boomilever — Aashritha Karthik Kamu, ‘31, Raahi Desai, ‘31

Circuit Lab — Lanlan Huang, Alex Launiau

Disease Detectives — Lanlan Huang, Shriya Shah, ‘31

Dynamic Planet — Sophie Mei, ‘30, Lucy Yang, ‘31

Meteorology — Shriya Shah, Elena Huang
Remote Sensing — Aashritha Karthik Kamu, Yuna Kim

Rocks & Minerals — Zofia Wang, Sophie Mei

Scrambler — Lucy Yang, Aanya Chakunta

Water Quality — Anwen Baugh, ‘30, Aanya Chakunta

JV

Entomology — Audrey Graff, Autus Li, ‘32

Metric Mastery — Julia Brudno, ‘32, Evan Zhang, ‘31

Remote Sensing — Olivia Hu, Theha Chevala, ‘32

Third Place Medalists

Varsity

Entomology — Zofia Wang, Raahi Desai

Machines — Sylvie Knott, ‘30, Anthony Liu

Solar System — Anwen Baugh, Sophie Mei

JV

Crime Busters — Aiden Li, ‘32, Evan Zhang

Heredity — Theha Chevala, Aarna Shah, ‘32

Rocks & Minerals — Julia Brudno, Leah Zheng

4th Place Medalists

Varsity

Codebusters — Sylvie Knott, Anthony Liu, Ryan Xu

Heredity — Sylvie Knott, Yuna Kim

 

 

Across courts, fields, tracks, pools, and courses, Charger athletes turned in another strong year. Championship performances, broken records, individual honors, and collegiate commitments reflected both the talent of our student-athletes and the commitment they bring to their sports. The accomplishments captured here offer a snapshot of another year of high-level competition and athletic achievement at CA. Go Chargers!

TISAC Player of the Year

Fall Season
Kavi Gibson, ’26 : Cross Country
Callie McCarron, ’26 : Field Hockey

Winter Season
Julien Tweedy, ’28 : Basketball
Gabrielle Young, ’27 : Basketball
Caden Martin, ’26 : Swimming
Miles Cash, ’27 : TISITC Athlete of the Year for Indoor Track & Field
Danica McCarron, ’26 : TISITC Athlete of the Year for Indoor Track & Field

Spring Season
Saachin Arora, ’26 : Tennis
Kavi Gibson, ’26 : TISAC Most Outstanding Performer for Track & Field

Gatorade Player of the Year

Kavi Gibson, ’26 : Cross Country

All-American Selections

Winter Season
Carolin He, ’27 : Swimming
Caden Martin, ’26 : Swimming
Sarah Chen, ’26 : Swimming
Isabella Grossi, ’28 : Swimming
Amy Zheng, ’29 : Swimming

CA All-State Athletes

Fall Season
Kavi Gibson, ’26 : Cross Country
Finn Miller, ’26 : Cross Country
Callie McCarron, ’26 : Field Hockey
Alaina Jacobson, ’26 : Field Hockey
Audrey Zhang, ’29 : Golf

Winter Season
Julien Tweedy, ’28 : Basketball
Carolin He, ’27 : Swimming
Caden Martin, ’26 : Swimming
Kavi Gibson, ’26 : Indoor Track & Field (2nd Team)
Miles Cash, ’27 : Indoor Track & Field (2nd Team)
Jack Titcomb, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Gabe Oduor, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Joey Grabek, ‘27 : Indoor Track & Field
Sose Arhuidese, ’27 : Indoor Track & Field (2nd Team)
Danica McCarron, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Moriah Parks, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Izzy Bottorff, ‘27 : Indoor Track & Field (2nd Team)

Spring Season
Kavi Gibson, ’26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Finn Miller, ’26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Miles Cash, ’27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Jack Titcomb, ‘28 : Outdoor Track & Field
Gabe Oduor, ‘28 : Outdoor Track & Field
Joey Grabek, ‘27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Danica McCarron, ‘26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Moriah Parks, ‘26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Sose Arhuidese, ’27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Kush Lutz, ’26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Saachin Arora, ‘26 : Tennis

CA All-Conference Athletes

Fall Season
Kavi Gibson, ’26 : Cross Country
Cole Harris, ’27 : Cross Country
Colton White, ’28 : Cross Country
Finn Miller, ’26 : Cross Country
Akshadha Chintu, ’28 : Cross Country
Kajal Parmar, ’26 : Cross Country
Callie McCarron, ’26 : Field Hockey
Elin Boucher, ’28 : Field Hockey
Alaina Jacobson, ’26 : Field Hockey
Zuleika Ekangaki, ’26 : Field Hockey (2nd Team)
Sherry Lu, ’27 : Golf
Aviva Wang, ’26 : Golf
Zofia Wang, ’30 : Golf
Audrey Zhang, ’29 : Golf
Kash Higgins, ‘27 – Soccer
Ayden Musau, ‘26 – Soccer
Luke Stallings, ‘26 – Soccer
Derek Qi, ‘28 – Soccer
Max Chen, ‘26 – Soccer (2nd Team)
Nathan Chow, ‘27 – Soccer (2nd Team)
Jacob Yao, ‘28 – Soccer (2nd Team)
Mahika Kadumpalli, ’28 – Tennis (2nd Team)
Arya Kreymerman, ’28 – Tennis (2nd Team)
Phoebe Shaughnessy, ’28 – Volleyball (2nd Team)

Winter Season
Julien Tweedy, ’28 : Basketball
Aiden Rousseau, ’26 : Basketball
McCoy Williams, ’26 : Basketball
Marcus Cadet, ’29 : Basketball (2nd Team)
Gabrielle Young, ’27 : Basketball
Avni Lutz, ’29 : Basketball
Annalise DeMatteis, ’26 : Basketball (2nd Team)
Hogan Wendt, ’27 : Swimming
Carolin He, ’27 : Swimming
Caden Martin, ’26 : Swimming
Sarah Chen, ’26 : Swimming
Isabella Grossi, ’28 : Swimming
Amy Zheng, ’29 : Swimming
Kavi Gibson, ’26 : Indoor Track & Field (2nd Team)
Miles Cash, ’27 : Indoor Track & Field (2nd Team)
Jack Titcomb, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Gabe Oduor, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Joey Grabek, ‘27 : Indoor Track & Field
Sose Arhuidese, ’27 : Indoor Track & Field
Dylan Becker, ‘27 : Indoor Track & Field
Spencer Dill, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Cam Weber, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Emerson Herr, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Oliver Karra, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Chase Cash, ‘29 : Indoor Track & Field
Colton White, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Eric Zhu, ‘27 : Indoor Track & Field
Danica McCarron, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Moriah Parks, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Naomi Hammer, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Akshadha Chintu, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Keira Sabapathypillai, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Ariya Patel, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Kajal Parmar, ‘26 : Indoor Track & Field
Annika Taneja, ‘28 : Indoor Track & Field
Bharghav Parvathaneni, ‘26 : Wrestling
Bemnet Samson, ‘26 : Wrestling

Spring Season
Paul Siriani, ‘28 : Baseball (2nd Team)
Max Williams, ‘28 : Baseball (2nd Team)
Jack Boucher, ‘26 : Lacrosse
Brady Marchand, ‘26 : Lacrosse
Abe Lemma, ‘27 : Lacrosse (2nd Team)
Jonas McMullin, ‘27 : Lacrosse (2nd Team)
Rajan Wood, ‘27 : Lacrosse (2nd Team)
Charlotte Ro, ’27 : Lacrosse
Amber Bassi, ‘29 : Soccer
Azaria Hemmings, ‘26 : Soccer (2nd Team)
Josie McSwain, ‘28 : Soccer (2nd Team)
Cecilia Matronola, ‘26 : Softball
Jennah Farris, ‘28 : Softball
Ella Thomas, ‘29 : Softball (Honorable Mention)
Saachin Arora, ‘26 : Tennis
Dhruv Mulik, ‘26: Tennis
Connor Andrews, ‘29 : Tennis (2nd Team)
Nathan Ye, ‘30 : Tennis (2nd Team)
Kavi Gibson, ’26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Miles Cash, ’27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Dylan Becker, ‘27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Sose Arhuidese, ’27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Kush Lutz, ’26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Jack Titcomb, ‘28 : Outdoor Track & Field
Emerson Herr, ‘28 : Outdoor Track & Field
Gabe Oduor, ‘28 : Outdoor Track & Field
Joey Grabek, ‘27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Eric Zhu, ‘27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Hasaan Mahmood, ’27 : Outdoor Track & Field
TJ Harrell, ‘27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Savion Scott, ‘27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Oliver Karra, ‘26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Chase Cash, ‘29 : Outdoor Track & Field
Jacob Kovacs, ‘29 : Outdoor Track & Field
Danica McCarron, ‘26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Moriah Parks, ‘26 : Outdoor Track & Field
Jasmine Phillips, ‘27 : Outdoor Track & Field
Corinne Bennett, ‘28 : Outdoor Track & Field
Leia Dupre, ‘28 : Outdoor Track & Field

Records Broken

Winter Season

Girls Swimming

TISAC Conference Records
200 Medley Relay: Sarah Chen, ‘26, Carolin He, ‘27, Amy Zheng, ‘29, Caden Martin, ‘26. (1:45.02)
400 Free Relay: Carolin He, ‘27, Isabella Grossi, ‘28 Sarah Chen, ‘26, Caden Martin, ‘26. (3:27.65)
Carolin He, ‘27: 100 Breast (1:02.13)
Caden Martin, ‘26: 50 Free (:22.47), 100 Free (:49.71)

State Meet Records
Caden Martin, ‘26: 50 Free (:22.41), 100 Free (:49.32)

Boys ITF

Conference Meet Records:
Miles Cash, ‘27: 55m Hurdles (7.86)
4x800m Relay: Oliver Karra, ‘26, Chase Cash, ‘29, Colton White, ‘28, Eric Zhu, ‘27. (8:34.06)

State Meet Records:
Kavi Gibson. ‘26: 1000m (2:28.84)
4x200m Relay: Miles Cash, ‘27, Sose Arhuidese, ‘27, Jack Titcomb, ‘28, Gabe Odour, ’28. (1:32.59)
4x400m Relay: Sose Arhuidese, ‘27, Jack Titcomb, ‘28, Joey Grabek, ‘27, Miles Cash, ‘27. (3:26.54)

Girls ITF

Conference Meet Records:
Danica McCarron, ‘26: 55m (7.87), 55m Hurdles (8.88), Pole Vault (13′ 04″)

Spring Season

Boys Track & Field

Conference Meet Record:
Kavi Gibson, ‘26: 1600m (4:12.72) and 3200m (8:52.62)

State Meet Record:
Miles Cash, ‘27: 300m Hurdles (:37.56)
Kavi Gibson, ‘26: 3200m (8:44.46) – 3rd fastest in NC history
4x800m Relay: (7:44.90); Joey Grabek, ‘27, Miles Cash, ‘27, Finn Miller, ‘26, Kavi Gibson, ‘26.

Girls Track & Field:
Conference Meet Record:
Moriah Parks, ‘26: 400m – broke own record (:56.79)

State Meet Record:
Danica McCarron, ‘26: Pole Vault (11′ 06″) – tied record

 

 

In early March, both Middle and Upper School German students traveled to NC State’s campus for the annual German Day. In addition to celebrating German culture, students competed in a variety of activities that showcased their German language skills. Check out the list of CA winners below:

First Place

Upper School

Culture Bowl Level B — Lily Zhu, ‘26, Aviva Wang, ‘26, Fiona Fitzsimons, ‘26

Middle School
Extemporaneous Speaking Level A — Penny Zimmerman, ‘30
Cooking Show Level A — Luke Howarth, ‘30, Jameson Creekman, ‘31, David Garrett Vera, ‘31, Wilson Zhang, ‘31

Skit Level A — Alex Launiau, ‘31, Aarna Misra, ‘31, Aryana Jain, ‘31, Hannah Lin, ‘31, Jocelyn Muddiman, ‘31, Sky Ingram, ‘31

Spelling Bee — Wilson Zhang

Second Place

Upper School

Photography — Evie Koerner, ’29

Digital Art — Lily Zhu

Song with Choreography — Alaina Jacobson, ‘26, Izzy Bottorff, ‘27, Tess Perkinson, ‘27, Bella Sillers, ‘26, Maddie Kovacs, ‘26

Culture Bowl Level B — Ben Baumgartner, ‘28, Brandon Wang, ‘28, Sebastian Escobar, ‘27

Poetry Recitation, Heritage Level — Gavin Koo, ‘26

Extemporaneous Speaking Level 3 — Mira Greenwolfe, ‘27

Cooking Show Level B — Maddie Kovacs, Jacob Kovacs, ‘29

Skit Level A — Jackie He, ‘28, Andrew Sillers, Andrew Sargent, ‘28

Middle School

Spelling Bee — David Garrett Vera

Third Place

Upper School

2D Art — Fiona Fitzsimons

Middle School
Spelling Bee — Jameson Creekman

Honorable Mention

Upper School

Song with Musical Accompaniment — Augustus Lavalette, ‘26, Zack Stafford, ‘26

Poetry Recitation Level 3 — Lily Zhu

Extemporaneous Speaking Level 3 — Cam Weber, ‘26
Skit Level B — Sidd Jones, ‘27, Rajan Wood, ‘27, Jonas McMullin, ‘27, Max Leuchtmann, ‘27, Kelley Felix, ‘27, Sebastian Escobar

Middle School

Cooking Show Level A — Penny Zimmerman, Rowen Wang, ‘30
Skit Level A — Lukas del Rosario, ‘32, Aarna Shah, ‘32, Benton Turner, ‘32, Joe Herwig, ‘32

 

 

Cary Academy’s HOSA chapter had a strong showing at the 2026 NC HOSA State Leadership Conference this spring. Chargers competed across a wide range of health science and hands-on skill events, earning 10 Top 10 finishes across eight events, including two first-place finishes and six top-three finishes.

Congratulations to the following Chargers who earned Top 10 finishes at States:

Sophie Wu – 1st place, Behavioral Health
Lucas Yang – 1st place, Epidemiology
Ty Allen – 2nd place, Physical Therapy
Anna Benjamin – 2nd place, Medical Math
Emma Wang – 2nd place, Clinical Laboratory Science
Aviva Wang – 3rd place, Extemporaneous Writing – Health Policy
Angie Horne – 6th place, Clinical Laboratory Science
Andrea Ye – 8th place, Behavioral Health
Akshadha Chintu – 8th place, Phlebotomy
Sophia Cui – 9th place, Medical Terminology

Congratulations to all of Cary Academy’s HOSA competitors for representing CA at the state level and to our Top 10 finishers on an outstanding showing!

 

 

Banner art: “Reconvergence,” Andrea Ye, ‘28

CA artists had a strong showing in this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, earning recognition across multiple categories and media. Their work stood out among submissions, reflecting both creative ambition and technical skill.

ART

Gold Key Award Recipients:

Celia Chen, ‘29 (Experimental Photography), Tess Perkinson, ‘27 (Photography), Andrea Ye, ’28 (Mixed Media), Sophie Liu, ’29 (Photography), Sophie Mei, ’30 (Sculpture)

Silver Key Award Recipients:

Noelle Moorhead, ‘27 (Photography), Gaille Saelim, ‘28 (Drawing), Andrea Ye, ‘28 (Painting), Sophie Mei, ’30 (Painting)

Honorable Mention Recipients:

Yuna Kim, ‘30 (Painting), Noelle Moorhead, ‘27 (Photography), Maya Rysin, ‘27 (Painting), Gaille Saelim, ‘28 (Painting), Celia Chen, ‘29 (Drawing & Painting), Andrea Ye, ‘24 (Painting, four Honorable Mentions in the category!)

WRITING

Anna Benjamin, ’27, Personal Essay and Memoir: Gold Key; Critical Essay: 4 Honorable Mentions

Yul Choi, ’26, Poetry: 2 Silver Keys

Celia Chen, ’29, Flash Fiction: Gold Key and Silver Key; Journalism: Honorable Mention; Poetry: Silver Key and Honorable Mention

Max Chen, ’26, Short Story: Honorable Mention

William Chen, ’26, Personal Essay and Memoir: Gold Key; Poetry: Silver Key and 2 Honorable Mentions

Jaden Hong, ’28, Speculative Fiction: Gold Key; Flash Fiction: Silver Key

Annika Liu, ’26, Flash Fiction: Gold Key

Levin Ma, ’27, Critical Essay: Honorable Mention

Aviva Wang, ’26, Journalism: Gold

Audrey Zhang, ’29, Personal Essay and Memoir: Gold Key; Personal Essay and Memoir: Honorable Mention

Sunny Zhao, ’27, Critical Essay: Honorable Mention; Personal Essay and Memoir: Silver Key, Poetry: Gold Key

Kenna Zhang, ’26, Poetry: Gold Key, 3 Silver Keys, Honorable Mention; Short Story: Gold Key, Honorable Mention

Claire Zhong, ’27, Flash Fiction: Gold Key; Personal Essay and Memoir: Silver Key; Poetry: Silver Key, Speculative Fiction: Silver Key, Honorable Mention

Separately, 2 Chargers won Young Arts Awards for their writing.

William Chen, ’26, Writing/Nonfiction Winner

Yul Choi, ’26, Writing/Spoken Word Winner

Congratulations to all of these talented Chargers!