Last updated: February 12th, 2021
Science Olympiad is a national competition where more than 7,800 teams of middle and high school students participate in regional, state, and nationwide competitions. Science Olympiad challenges students' leadership, communication, and academic skills.
For a given year, the rules for each events are the same across all competitions (although in some cases not all events are offered at every competition). Students on a team are assigned to specific events with one other partner on their team, and usually prepare for events weeks ahead of time.
Some events are test events, where two students from each team work to complete a long and difficult test on a given subject in a constrained time period. These tests rely heavily on coordination between partners, critical thinking skills, and a real-world skillset. For example, the Cybersecurity event at virtual YUSO 2021 had a test portion on cryptographic theory and computer science, as well as a hands-on portion where students were required to devise several algorithms to model a hypothetical scenario on a time limit.
Other events are showcase events, where students design and build a contraption ahead of time, and then test it at the competition. These events require careful planning skills and effective communication between partners. They are usually accompanied by a test portion too. The Detector Building event requires students to design, build and calibrate a digital temperature probe, for example.
I have participated at many Science Olympiad events over the years. I've won a few medals, too, which are listed on my resume.