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Welcome to the 2022-2023 Season Sept 13, 2022

The rules manuals were released earlier this week and they are available for free at https://www.soinc.org/rules-2023. Please remember not to post these PDFs or send them as an attachment. National Science Olympiad requests that all players, coaches and officials download their own copies and agree to their stipulations.

We are anticipating tournaments to be in-person this year assuming it remains safe for everyone. As we confirm dates and hosting venues for the various tournaments, this information will be posted on this web page.

The 2023 SoCal Events and schedule are available here. The schedule and event conflicts are based on the National Tournament schedule found at the end of the rules manual.

The SoCal Science Olympiad Summer Workshop is back! June 8, 2022

We will once again be hosting the SoCal Science Olympiad Summer Workshop where State and National Event Supervisor will be discussing the events for the upcoming year and getting your feedback on them! This 1-day in-person summer workshop will take place on Saturday, July 16th. Spaces will be limited. Sign up today!

What is Science Olympiad?

Science Olympiad is an international nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers. Southern California Science Olympiad - a chapter of Science Olympiad - hosts, manages, or supports over 8 Invitational, 9 Regional, and 1 State Tournaments in Southern California.

Science Olympiad Tournaments are like academic track meets.

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. The list of 2019-2020 Events and their descriptions can be found here.

Each Science Olympiad season begins in September, when the Event Rules are released and Registration opens. Teams then spend several months preparing for their Regional Tournament in winter or spring of the next year (dates vary depending on the exact Regional). The top teams from each Regional go on to compete at the Southern California State Tournament in April, vying for the title of State Champion and the opportunity to represent Southern California at the National Tournament in May.

Middle school students setup their Boomilever, a wooden structure, for strength testing at the 2019 Southern California State Tournament.
Photo Credit: Emily Miaou
A student analyzes a hair sample in the Crime Busters event at the 2019 Southern California State Tournament.
Photo Credit: Emily Miaou

Teams and Events are split into three "Divisions". Teams in Divisions B or C only compete against other teams in the same Division.

Division A (Grades 4-6)

Division A is the elementary school Division. Division A events are specific to the tournament. Division A teams do not compete against each other, but rather strive to meet pre-defined levels of requirements in each event.

Division B (Grades 6-9)

Division B is the middle school Division. Division B events are usually easier and feature less advanced topics than Division C events.

Division C (Grades 9-12)

Division C is the high school Division. Division C events are usually harder and feature more advanced topics than Division B events.

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