A Science Olympiad Team...
...can be a source of pride for your school. Science Olympiad rewards and recognizes students for excellent learning, thinking, invention, and teamwork: exactly the same skills most will need when they enter the workforce. Participation also builds lasting memories and friendships. If you are thinking about starting (or continuing) a Science Olympiad team, there are three steps to follow:
Get your people. Find 15 students interested in science and engineering! Remember that there are building events (such as Towers), laboratory events (such as Crime Busters / Forensics) and knowledge events (such as Forestry). You'll need students who are good at each of these skills, and students who can cross-train in several events. There are some special rules for 8th and 9th graders which you can read about here. You need to have at least one teacher that can serve as a coach. Coaches help match team members with events, plan practice and preparation time, give advice, and accompany their teams to the Oregon Science Olympiad Tournament. Finding people can be a bit more complicated if you are part of a home school organization. The national Science Olympiad website has tips for you here.
Get registered. Your coach needs to register your team to be able to participate in the Oregon Science Olympiad Tournament. Registration also gives you the official Coaches' Manual with all of the event rules for the current year. While you must register by January 31 to participate, it is advisable to register earlier.
Get a plan. You have 15 people, and 23 challenging events. How will you divide people up? You can go into events solo or in partnerships, so who works well with whom? When will you have meetings and worktimes? How will you secure needed materials? What methods of communication will your team members use? How might parents, businesses, and other teachers help out? Make a plan to address these factors, and get to the fun part: the events!