Illinois Science Olympiad

1221 Suffolk Street
Naperville, Illinois 60563
Phone: (640) 792-1251
Website: illinoisolympiad.org

A national non-profit founded in 1984, Science Olympiad is dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 science education, creating a technologically literate workforce, and providing recognition for outstanding student and teacher achievement. These goals are achieved by participating in Science Olympiad tournaments and non-competitive events, incorporating Science Olympiad into classroom curriculum and attending professional development workshops. Science Olympiad has local organizations supporting 5,300 middle and high school teams in 46 states.

The Science Olympiad Urban Schools Initiative brings hands-on, inquiry-based science to underserved populations by providing team membership, materials, coach training, team mentoring and support to eligible schools with minority enrollment. In 2009, 16 CPS schools formed Science Olympiad teams and practiced, much like an athletic team, for a regional competition held in April. At the ‘Science Olympiad Build It Learn It Day’ hosted by the Museum of Science and Industry and sponsored by Science Chicago, 250 team members built airplanes and bridges, used forensic evidence to solve a crime, and got up close and personal with amphibians and reptiles with the help of experts from The Adler Planetarium, The Shedd Aquarium, The Field Museum, the University of Illinois Chemistry Department, IBM, Navteq, Newell Rubbermaid, the Latino Tech Association and more. This program has been made possible by a partnership between Chicago Public Schools, Science Olympiad, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Wright College, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and Science Chicago.