The Oswego County Academic Youth (OCAY) League brought a sense of nostalgia and high-level competition to its latest event, “Blast from the Past: OCAY’s Greatest Hits,” where students revisited some of the most iconic and challenging tasks in league history.

Designed to highlight the diverse talents that define OCAY, the competition featured a dynamic mix of engineering, academics, creativity and performance. Teams were tasked with completing four major challenges throughout the event, alongside ten fast-paced academic quizzes that tested their knowledge across a wide range of subjects.

Among the featured activities, students engineered four unique parachutes that focused on safety drop, accuracy launch, slowest descent and a Da Vinci-inspired design. Teams also showcased their creativity by capturing the spirit of OCAY League through a black-and-white photograph paired with an original motto, solved a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle requiring patience and teamwork, and memorized and recited a classic poem with precision and poise.

After a day of intense competition, Mexico Academy and Central School District earned first place honors. Central Square School District secured second place, followed by Hannibal Central School District in third.

Shannon Bigelow, advisor to the winning Mexico team, praised her students’ performance and growth throughout their OCAY experience.

“As always, I am extremely proud of my team,” said Bigelow. “This group was comprised of seniors who are OCAY League veterans! As such, they have honed their ability to work collaboratively with grace and respect. They demonstrate creativity, intelligence, and resilience – all major facets of what OCAY League asks of competitors. In light of this event’s theme, I’m very proud that this time demonstrated the very best of OCAY League.”

Founded in 1997, the OCAY League continues to promote academic excellence through collaborative competition among Oswego County schools. Teams of students participate in multiple events throughout the year, each designed to challenge their intellect, creativity and teamwork.