by TaLeiza Calloway
news@thenewsleaders.com
Christian Gaetz has always liked the sciences.
Whether it’s math, physics, chemistry or biology, it doesn’t matter. That’s his world.
This might explain why the 17-year-old St. Joseph resident said he isn’t nervous about an upcoming 3.5-hour exam to become a finalist for the U.S. Physics Olympic Team.
After all, he has already been named a semi-finalist for the team.
The St. John’s Prep School student is one of the top 400 physics students in the country. He was one of five to take a qualifying exam in his physics class and was the only one to make it to the next level – the 3.5-hour exam he will take by March 23.
Gaetz explained that many schools offer the test. He said the cut-off level or high score on the qualifying exam he took was 15.5. His score was 16.5.
For now – when he’s not working with the Knowledge Bowl team, preparing for baseball season or taking in a game of paintball – he’s reading books and reviewing past physics exams in preparation for the exam.
If he places in the top 20 from this exam, he will travel to Maryland-College Park to participate in a two-week Physics Camp and enter an international competition.