What would you say is the most interesting part of science olympiad?
The most interesting part of SO is seeing students get excited about topics that are either not traditionally taught in science classes, or touched on in limited capacity.

In what ways does participating in Science Olympiad help a student?
Participating in SO helps students to learn time management, working cooperatively, research, and building skills. This has sparked new interests and continued interests in students that has helped them to really begin to hone on what they would like to do as adults.

What are the competitions like and is there anything a future participant would want to know?
Competitions can be intense, but during downtime, there are fun activities and time to just relax with teammates. They are long days, but still fun and exciting!

How does the team operate, meaning, do students have the freedom to choose what they do or is it very structured?
How the team operates really depends on the numbers. With a small team, there is more freedom to choose events, but you might have to cover events that you did not first consider. With a larger team, there is some competition for spots and if we have enough for two teams, we usually have an A and a B team for competitions, with the goal of putting the strongest team together and move on to states.

Are there any challenges that students would face with Science Olympiad?
I think the biggest challenge that students in SO face is time management. SO is a commitment and students that want to succeed need to work at it. As a team, we try to give flexibility, but we also know what it takes to continue to move and grow as a team.

Where should someone start when looking to join next year?
Information for SO typically comes out in September. Students that are interested should listen for announcements, but also feel free to check in with Mrs. Wilk for information.

Is there anything you’d like to advertise or for people to know?
If you are on the fence about SO, come and try it out. Team members would love to show you what they have been working on and we would love to see the team grow.