Success Story

Founded in 1984, Science Olympiad is one of the premier K-12 science competitions in the nation, providing rigorous, standards-based challenges to nearly 250,000 students on 8,000 teams in all 50 states. Science Olympiad hosts 450 tournaments annually on college campuses and holds professional development workshops that showcase innovative science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). A signature program is the Urban and Rural Schools Initiative. The impact is best shown in the words of those affiliated with the program:

"I have been in public health for more than 40 years. Being involved with Science Olympiad's Disease Detectives event since its beginning is one of the high points of my career, as I knew it would make a difference in lives." Dr. Ralph Cordell, Epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

"Science Olympiad showed me I wanted to be a scientist, and now, I am pursuing that goal in graduate school where I've received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship." - Jordann Brandner, Kansas State University

"Science Olympiad taught me to think in engineering design and what it means to be part of a true team. The way most people feel about sports is how I feel about Science Olympiad. It's a huge part of who I am." - Jessie Vander, Sylvain Labs

"I believe Science Olympiad is the best cross-gender team-based STEM outreach program in the nation. In practices and competitions, I see young girls develop courage and independence, realizing the power they have to solve problems and support their team equal to or better than their peers." Enrica Quartini, University of Texas Institute for Geophysics Researcher