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Currently each Science Olympiad member school can enter up to 15 students as
a team at each tournament. The school teams with the highest overall scores
advance to the next level.
There has been some interest from the inception of the Science
Olympiad about the possibility of an "All-Star" team whereby the gold
medal winners from one level advance to the next level. After much
discussion and debate at a meeting with the National Executive Board,
national captains and coaches it was unanimously voted to support the
existing school team approach in favor of an All-Star team for the
following reasons:
- The team concept philosophically is more acceptable to most educators
rather than emphasizing individual competition, which has negative
connotations to many of them. The team concept emphasizes cooperation,
teamwork, and the development of team spirit. The other
over-emphasizes the individual and certain events.
- The Science Olympiad Constitution states that one of its purposes to
improve the quality of science education. Having a balance between content,
process and technology and all of the science disciplines promotes the
development of a quality K-12 balanced science curriculum. If a school were
allowed (encouraged) to bring only the best airplane thrower, egg dropper,
or rock hound, it would encourage the fragmented and limited instruction of
isolated skills to the neglect of the whole science curriculum. And,
furthermore, it would be difficult to rally school and community support to
fund the advancement of one paper airplane thrower versus the support for
the overall state champion. But, worse, it would damage one of the major
purposes of the Olympiad and it could detract from the regional and state
team's efforts and possibly be an embarrassment if all gold medals were won
by individuals and not teams?
- Finally, the management of an all-star team would be far more difficult
and costly. Conceivably the worst case situation would result in 44 students
from 24 schools from each state advancing to the national's which would mean
1,760 students from 960 schools for each division rather than 600 students
from 40 schools.
This would not only present nightmares for tournament organizers but also for
local school supporters attempting to make plans for all these students not to
mention the increased cost of medals, material, and travel expense.
Still the All-Star team has merit as it recognizes the best from each state
and it provides an opportunity for more students and more schools to be
represented and receive awards.
If a state would volunteer to attempt a modified all-star team contest,
philosophical and curriculum objections would be softened or eliminated. If gold
medal winners only from those teams not advancing to a state or national
tournament were invited, the numbers should be reduced and soften the management
argument.
Before the National Board could consider such a radical change, however, we
need to have demonstrated evidence at the state level that the concept is valid
and can work. How would you like to try it?
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