Welcome to Science Olympiad
We expect a lot of fun to be had by all this year. This information page is set up to answer many of the questions that are common for students that are new to Science Olympiad
Q: What is Science Olympiad?
A: Science Olympiad is a nationwide organization that holds competitions between schools on science and technology related events. There are 22 events this year which cover all science disciplines as well as five technology events that require construction of some type of device.
Q: What would I do as a team member?
A: Each team member will select either 2 or 3 events to prepare for competition. Some of the events require research, gathering and organizing information, learning new skills and then demonstrating them at the competition. Other events require building some device to be tested on the day of the competition.
Q: How much time must I commit?
A: We will meet 2 days of the week after school from 2:30 to 4:00. We will also have one meeting each weekend which will be a 3 hour meeting. We are willing to work with students that have other obligations such as music or sports but you should plan to be at every meeting that you don’t have a conflict.
Q: When is the competition?
A: Our Regional Competition is at Binghamton University on Saturday February 11, 2012. All of our work in Science Olympiad culminates in this one day competition. You should be sure to mark your calendar early and be sure that you have no other commitments on that day. The events of the competition will consume most of the day.
Q: What are the benefits of Science Olympiad participation?
A: First, of course, is the chance to participate in an event that is designed to bring fun and enjoyment to the experience of learning science. In addition,Science Olympiad is recognized with great prestige at the most selective universities across the country. Participation is certainly something that students should include in application materials when applying to college. There is a generous scholarship given out each year to a JCHS senior that has participated in Science Olympiad.
Science Olympiad 2010 - 2011
Letter to Parents:
We are very pleased that your child is expressing an interest in the Science Olympiad team. We are planning to work very hard this year and look forward to seeing that hard work pay off at the competition. We would like to ask you to encourage your child to take this commitment seriously. There is a lot of fun to be had but like anything there is nothing like the feeling of winning the rewards that come with hard work. Based on the interest so far I know we have the talent on this team to come away from the competition loaded down with medals.
One of our goals this year is to expand the opportunity for parents to participate in and support your child’s effort. Unlike sports we have only one competition with a long preparation season. Because of this often parents wish for more involvement in the Science Olympiad prior to the competition. We would like to invite parents to contribute to the team in a variety of ways.
- Please browse the list of events. If any of them catch your interest or are areas that you have special expertise we would welcome your input supporting our team. You are always welcome to attend meetings and help students by sharing your expertise.
- Saturday meetings are long and we usually offer snacks for the team. If you are willing to provide snacks for students on a Saturday please notify us ahead of time to avoid doubling up. It would be greatly appreciated.
- Preparation for competition requires purchase of reference resources, construction materials, t-shirts and a variety of other materials. We are planning a spring fundraiser, after the competition. We don’t however want to apply precious time and effort between now and the competition by fundraising. Therefore, instead of sending your child home with boxes of candy bars, we are seeking donations. No donation is too small and will be put to meaningful use by the team.
If you ever have any questions or concerns about how the team is progressing please do not hesitate to contact us by email , or by phone763-1256.
Sincerely,
Chris Ruston
Charm Foster
Student name______
Parent name (printed) ______
Parent Signature ______
Please provide a phone number in the event we need to cancel meetings due to weather or other emergencies. ______
I have included a donation in the amount of __$______for use by the Science Olympiad team
(Make checks payable to Johnson City Science Olympiad)