Science Olympiad Information
What is Science Olympiad?
Science Olympiad is a national nonprofit organization established in 1984, devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing the student interest in science, and providing recognition of outstanding achievement in science education by students. These goals are accomplished through classroom activities, research, training workshops, and the encouragement of intramural, district, regional, state, and national tournaments.
Science Olympiad tournaments are academic interscholastic competitions. The Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each division (Division B is middle school; Division C is high school). Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology. These challenging and motivational events are well balanced among the various science disciplines and encourage a wide cross-section of students to get involved. Emphasis is placed on hands-on group participation, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Science Olympiad is a team competition requiring teamwork, group planning, and cooperation. The emphasis is on learning, participation, interaction, having fun, and developing team spirit. Competing teams consist of 15 students. On competition day, each event test is administered during a specific one-hour period to 2-3 team members working jointly for a team score. Throughout the year, each student may be building, preparing, or studying for many events. Reference: soinc.org
Science Olympiad in Centerville
Centerville High School has participated in Science Olympiad since 1985 and Magsig Middle School began participating in Science Olympiad in 1997. Watts Middle School and Tower Heights Middle School both started teams in 1999, and have both qualified for the State of Ohio tournament multiple times. Centerville High School, Magsig, & Tower Heights have all won numerous regional and state championships, earning the opportunity to represent the State of Ohio at the National Science Olympiad Tournament.
Over the past 40 years, Centerville High School has been consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally, including two National Championships in 2009 and 2010. They finished 2nd in the nation in 1999, 2000, 2007 and 2011 at the National Tournament; placed 3rd in the nation in 2001, 2006 and 2008; 4th in 2005, 2012, 2013, and 2015; 5th in 2003 & 2016; 6th in 2004; and 12th in 2014. Magsig Middle School placed 3rd in the nation in 2008 and in only their fourth year of participation was ranked 4th in the nation in 2001; 5th in 2011; 6th in 2007, 2010, & 2016; 7th in 2014; 8th in 1999; 9th in 2012; 10th in 2000; and 11th in 2004. Tower Heights competed at Nationals in 2017, 2018, & 2019.
What do the students say about Science Olympiad?
For four years, Science Olympiad has been the center of my academic and social life. It’s the first thing I tell people when they ask me what I do in my “spare” time. Years from now, it’ll be the first thing I think of when someone says, “high school.”
I just finished a summer engineering internship at GM and realized that all of the skills and knowledge that I used on that job came from my experience in Science Olympiad, more so than my formal high school education.
I think about Science Olympiad every time I smell ammonia, every time I eat a mint, every time I see a butterfly. Maybe it’s because it’s a microcosm. Sometimes when I pack for Science Olympiad, I feel like I’m bringing my whole life with me.
In Science Olympiad, you literally live with your team, with a group of people of similar interests, united by the tension of competition for up to several days at a time. And it’s addictive.
Among countless other lessons Science Olympiad has taught me, is that there’s no such thing as “pure” science, science for the sake of itself. It always gets entangled with people and places – and there’s nothing wrong with that.
There’s nothing quite like Science Olympiad, and I doubt that there ever will be. Never again will I find a place where I can study physics in the morning, play Frisbee after lunch, study astronomy in the afternoon, proclaim myself supreme dictator … and still have friends at the end of the day.
My four years in Science Olympiad have been the best of my life, and I don’t think I’ll be topping them anytime soon. I was, I am, and I’ll always be a Centerville Science Olympiad.
What do coaches say about Science Olympiad?
I have coached varsity sports and Science Olympiad and there is no comparison. The intensity and level of competition is so much higher in Science Olympiad.
It is amazing the results motivated students can achieve when given the opportunity to participate in Science Olympiad. They have proven to be the experts in their school in their chosen field of study.
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