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I have just started a Science Olympiad team this year and can see the great benefits for STEM and NGSS. Does anyone else have a comment about this? This is the abstract from a NSTA book, "Science Olympiad: Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists": As our nation faces a decline in homegrown scientists and engineers, Science Olympiad continues to provide content and experiences that motivate teachers and students to become (and remain) passionate about STEM. Science Olympiad events provide a wealth of opportunities for scientific exploration and discovery, from a kindergartener learning about the natural environment in the Tree ID event to a junior in high school designing his first Gravity Vehicle. The evidence linking Science Olympiad events to student interest in STEM careers is solid; perhaps even more exciting is the effect it has had on teachers over the past three decades. This chapter shows how Science Olympiad helps kids become more passionate about STEM.

I can state based on my own experience that when I participated in the Science Olympiad as a student in high school, it definitely focused me on a career in STEM. I went to college for astrophysics and physics, and then after obtaining those undergraduate degrees, I decided to become a high school physics teacher. Being around and competing with like-minded individuals was a positive influence on me. I also founded a Science Olympiad program at an all-girls school I taught at, and it was a positive experience for those young women as they saw that science was something they could excel at and be proud of.

Hi Mary,
I, too, have been involved in Science Olympiad through the years. I found it to be an effective way to include STEM activities and heighten students' interests in STEM careers. If you have not discovered the SIEMENS STEM Academy, it is a great website for additional STEM lesson plans for the classroom.
Good luck with you new endeavor with your students!
Carolyn