Two Teams--
Double the Fun! We have both middle and high school level teams! |
Who We Are & What It's About
A foundation program teaching stem skills |
Our middle school team is akin to a project-based learning experience of STEM foundation skills, study skills and executive function practice through the preparation of their events. They meet weekly to help provide support and guidance (plus whatever time they opt to get together with teammates).
Our high school team meets 1-2 times/month (plus whatever time they opt to get together with teammates) but focuses on project management and remote collaborative skills using technology. Both levels provide students with Project-Based Learning experiences using Science Olympiad as the "project" by which they are learning these skills. |
A team of homeschool students that enjoy learning about science... |
You don't have to be gifted in science to be part of the Science Olympiad competitive team--you just need to be committed to learning about an area of science and be willing to devote time to preparing for competition. Each year, the events of the competition change a bit--but they include paper-based tests as well as labs and build-based competitions. Each student should anticipate taking on three event areas (there might be some overlap involved in the areas or there may not) and diving into them to learn as much as possible.
Our focus is on doing their personal best, emphasizing the team over the individual, and doing their personal best to help the greater endeavor. There is more to learn than just science on this journey and we hope to foster an attitude of perseverance, positivity, and encouragement. |
It's about digging into a topic you enjoy... and maybe a topic that the team needs your help with.
The competitions |
Generally, each year we have at least 3 (but up to 7) invitational competitions and one Regional competition. Each competition is a FULL Saturday from morning to late afternoon. We request the most local regional competition and get notified about which we are given sometime in late January. Families should plan on at least one invitational in November, one in December, one in January, one invitational in February, and the Regional is in the first half of March. Starting in the 2019 competition year, we started attending at least one invitational out of state; but no student/family is required to attend out of state competitions.
Each student is only guaranteed to compete in one competition (an invitational). We determine who competes at Regionals based on student performance. The results of Regional competition determines which teams advance to state competition. We have advanced to State competition every year since 2015 (we did not get a chance to compete at the 2020 advancing competition due to COVID-19 closures). Invitationals are where the students get to test how well they're doing in their chosen topic area(s). Although they are competitions where the students actually compete for place and medals, they are also opportunities for learning before the regional competition. For example, if a student is in an event that requires a build of some sort, they can come to an invitational completely unprepared and ask questions of the judges to help them go home and revise what they're working on. Invitationals are meant for learning more than competing; but they are run like a regional event complete with awards and placements. Regional competitions are the real competition. This is where the results will dictate who is eligible for State competition. They are run exactly the same as the invitationals--so the students are ready for what awaits them. Our Regional happens the first or second Saturday in March (or occasionally, the last Saturday in February). The middle school (Division B) team has now gone to State level competition every year in a row since 2015--placing/ranking in the top 5 of their level in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, they were elevated to AA status and competed against some of the most competitive teams in the country--including 3-time National champions. The high school (Division C) team advanced to State the first year they had a Regional/advancing competition and were IMMEDIATELY thrown into AA status--which is an enormous testament to team effort. Every year, we learn what worked (and what didn't) at the student, team and administrative level--and we make changes to improve performance and reduce stress! If we continue to advance to State at either level--the State competition for all levels is generally held on the second or third Saturday in April at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. |