Creating Curiosity with Science Olympiad

by Nicole Ayers and Marie Goodwin

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.“ ~Clay P. Bedford

How do you create a curiosity that will kindle a lifelong love of learning? One method we have found to be highly effective in cultivating this sense of wonder is through a program called Science Olympiad. According to the Science Olympiad website, “Science Olympiad is one of the premier science competitions in the nation, providing rigorous, standards-based challenges to nearly 8,000 teams in all 50 states.”

Our students are deeply engaged in a collection of 23 events that span all branches of science and technology. There are build events that challenge the students’ engineering and design skills; there are lab events that require an onsite performance of science mastery, and there are study events that will often test middle school students at a high school or even college level. Grades 5 through 8 have opportunities to collaborate on these events, and they willingly spend several hours together after school each week preparing for competition. The kids often request to meet over holiday breaks to go deeper in their studies and enjoy fellowship together. We love watching our students find their passions for science and pursue their interests with great fervor.

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.“ ~Clay P. Bedford