Science Olympiad

About the program

Science Olympiad is an international non-profit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, creating a passion for learning science and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers. These goals are accomplished through classroom activities, research, professional development workshops and the encouragement of Regional, State, and National Tournaments.

At a Science Olympiad tournament, students work together in teams of up to 15 to compete in 23 events. The events change from year to year, covering fields and topics including anatomy and biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, geology, mechanical and structural engineering, and technology. Some events entail taking a test, while others involve doing hands-on labs, or even building and bringing a device to the tournament.

Each Science Olympiad season begins in September, when the event rules are released. Teams then spend several months preparing for their Regional Tournament in winter or spring of the next year. The top teams from each Regional Tournament go on to compete at the State Tournament in April, vying for the title of State Champion and the opportunity to represent Washington at the National Tournament in May.

Club Chair

Raja Venkatachalam, Divya Bhat, Gargi Pattanayak - so@evergreenptsa.org

Overview

Before you register to join the SO Club, make sure to read the following:

EMS is allowed to register up to 6 teams this year (2025-2026). Team 1 and Team 2 from last year will continue without change.
There is no fee for registering with SO club.
Review Evergreen PTSA Enrichment Policy

FEES

Club Fees:

Registration is free
Only if the student is placed on a team, a $100 SO club fee is collected per student (+ credit card processing fee) for the entire 2025-26 school year (non-refundable)
The club registration fees cover all of the invitational and regional tournaments' registration fees and the club operational costs. If this club fee is unable to cover the club registration and operational fees, then more fees may be collected later. This club fee is non-refundable.
Each team's study and building materials are to be bought and paid for by the teams themselves as they see fit.
Travel and accommodation are parents' responsibility.

RegisteR

Registration for this program closed on September 7, 2025.

*If your student needs a scholarship to cover the club fees, please complete this form.

How Science Olympiad Works at Evergreen

Team Composition

Head Team Coach

Each team is required to have at least one head team coach that will represent the team and coordinate with the EMS SO club chair on behalf of the team. Each team's head coach will lead the team and organize studying and preparation.

Event Coaches

Parents of the students of a team are expected to take on the role of Event coaches for one or more topics. It is the responsibility of the event coaches to ensure students are on track with preparations for their respective events.

Time Commitment Expectations

Participation requires a significant time commitment from both students (about 5–10 hours per week to study, test, build) and parents (coaching, event prep, or tournament support).
Full team = 15 students, each student is assigned 3–4 events.
Teams hold regular meetups. Please consider your schedule carefully before committing as dropping mid-season affects the whole team.

Team Formation

Team Formation Steps

Any 6th - 8th grader current Evergreen Middle School Students is eligible to participate.

Our Science Advisor, a teacher, will be conducting a test for all interested students in September.
A starter pack of study materials will be provided to help students prepare for the test.
The placement test usually consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. Approximately 75% of the questions are based on a starter pack of Science Olympiad study materials that will be made available soon, while the remaining 25% cover general topics in Physical, Life, and Earth Science.
Students will be ranked based on their scores.
Assignment to various teams would be done as follows:
- There are no open positions in Team 1
- Fill open positions in Team 2 (about 8 spots).
- The next 15 ranked students form Team 3.
- The next 15 ranked students form Team 4.
- Fill open positions in Team 5 (about 6 spots).
- The next 15 ranked students form Team 6
- If a student drops from a team, the next ranked student will be offered the spot.
Teams come up with their own team's name. There will be temporary team names for intermediate team formation purposes only.

Additional Questions

Q: If our team doesn't have 15 people, can our team still register?

A: Yes, teams with 13–14 members can still compete, but smaller teams may have to cover more events per student, which can impact performance. Aim for a full 15-member team if possible.

Q: After I complete club registration, what is the next step?

A: Once club registration closes, the science advisor will conduct the placement test, and teams will be formed based on results.

Q: Right before I completed the payment step of registration, I received an email from the system that told me that I have registered for the club. Does this mean that my registration is completed even though I didn't finish payment?

A: No. Registration is only complete after payment is made.

Q: I am a parent, and I want to be a head coach, but I do not have any experience in coaching. Am I qualified to be the head coach?

A: Yes! We provide a complete coaching plan with week-by-week practice guides for the entire season.

ENRICHMENT