Summary of Olympiad Competition:

Each school can bring a team of 15 students to participate in the South Dakota state Science Olympiad competition held on a Saturday in Vermillion at USD. Students can participate with a partner or alone in a variety of events. The three types of events are: science knowledge, (study ahead and answer ?'s); problem solving (Study ahead but event is more lab skills or apply what you know ?'s) and technology based application of science concepts (students build something ahead of time that they bring and test at the competition)..  Students can earn individual recognition for placing in events and the top three teams receive trophies for their schools. Usually we share a bus with the Middle School team.  Chris Mitchell has been the Middle School coach, but I think he is retiring from doing this next year too.

Individual medals are awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place in each event plus there are 1st, 2nd, 3rd place team trophies based on a school's total event scores.  The first place team at the South Dakota competition goes on to represent the state at the National Science Olympiad competition.