Frequently Asked Questions - National Science Olympiad
May 17/18, 2002, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
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How are team numbers assigned?
Team numbers are assigned randomly. As the fax from a team is received, the team is assigned the next random number on the list. This team number as well as user name and password is then communicated to the head coach.
How do we register online?
Using a team’s number, state, user name, and password, the head coach can enter the registration portion of our web site. After gathering the needed information, the head coach can enter the data and then click on submit. Please note that one head coach, one assistant coach, and the fifteen competitors in the 23 national events are to be registered. Additional coaches or alternate team members are not to be registered. Once the registration is submitted the head coach will receive a confirmation listing names, shirt orders, and meal orders, an explanation of our web site, and 17 posters for the coach, assistant coach, and 15 national event competitors. Print out a copy of your registration form for your records.
How do we make changes to our registration?
Use the changes to registration portion of the web site to make changes in student information or number of meals/t-shirts ordered. Do not enter data again on the original registration form.
What are the menus and costs for the tailgate party, lunch, and banquet? What is the cost of a t-shirt? Can I purchase meals or t-shirts on campus?
The registration section of the web site lists prices and there are separate sections of the web site listing full menus for meals and pictures of the t-shirts. Reservation is by credit card or purchase order. Pre-ordered t-shirts will cost $10.00. Available shirts at the tournament will be $12.00. Meals that are not pre-reserved will be on a space available basis for cash only. Please note that breakfast is not pre-reserved as many hotels/motels include continental breakfast. Breakfast will be available on a limited basis at the Trabant Student Center.
I am unable to find rooms near campus. What should I do?
As of April 23, there are many rooms available even at the hotel/motels on College Avenue right in Newark, DE. There is only one full hotel. Please be sure to indicate that you are with the Science Olympiad and that the rooms being blocked for Science Olympiad are for you. Contact travel services through our web site for help.
Where can I find the official schedule of competitive events?
The official schedule is on this web site and is included on the inside back cover of all official manuals for coaches.
Which trial/pilot events are being offered?
The Division B trial/pilot events are Compute This, Polymer Detectives, Robo Billiards, Robot Maze, Sounds of Music, and Storming the Castle. The Division C trial/pilot events are Compute This, Fermi Questions, Storming the Castle, Water Strider, and Wholey Moley. Robo Billiards is not a Division C trial/pilot event.
Who may participate in trial/pilot events?
One entrant per team is permitted for each trial/pilot event. The trial/pilot events are for individual medals (places 1, 2, and 3) and are not for team points. Therefore, either national competitors or alternates may enter the trial/pilot events.
How are medals awarded for the 23 B and 23 C national events? How is team score calculated?
Individual medals will be given for the top six places in each of the 23 B and 23 C national events. All places in each event are scored and contribute to the team total. First place in an event earns one team point, second place two team points, etc. The team with the lowest overall team score wins the National Science Olympiad. The ten highest team scores will be announced in each division.
May I trade team numbers with another team? May I compete during a time period that is not my assigned time period?
Teams may not trade team numbers. Competitors must compete during their team’s assigned time or be disqualified.
How are the fifteen national competitors identified?
The fifteen national competitors, the head coach, and the assistant coach from each team will receive nametags when the head coach registers in the lobby of the Bob Carpenter Center on May 17 and 18. The nametags will allow admission to the main floor of the Bob Carpenter Center for opening and closing ceremonies. The fifteen national competitors will also receive wristbands that are to be worn May 18 during competition. Competitors in national events will not be admitted to events without wristbands and nametags. This is not required for trial/pilot events.
Is there a weather phone number?
If the weather causes you to wonder if the science olympiad is still on, all 302-831-2000 or 302-831-3145.
Is there an emergency number for family members to use to reach us?
This number is 302-831-2222 and should only be used in true emergencies.
When will event locations be posted on this web site?
Event locations will be announced via the schedule on this web site on Tuesday, May 14, 2002.
Are Eastern and Western birds included in the Feathered Frenzy event?
Eastern and Western birds are both included in the Feathered Frenzy event.
Is a planetarium a part of the Reach for the Stars competition ?
A planetarium will not be a part of the Reach for the Stars competition.
Can we submit questions for Event Clarifications at this time?
National Science Olympiad, not the tournament site, clarifies all rules. Rules are not clarified after April 1 annually by the national office. Please be sure your students are aware of posted event clarifications on the national web site (www.soinc.org) that pertain to the events they are entering. Additional information from the National Science Olympiad (Gerard and Sharon Putz and Jack Cairns) are listed on this tournament web site (www.udel.edu/scienceolympiad) under the category Rules Announcements.
What devices are impounded? Where do I send my Mission Possible action transfer list?
Information as to impoundments, when Egg Drop will be built, and where to fax Mission Possible action transfer lists is on the schedule for each division on this web site.
Are inflatables permitted at the Swap Meet?
Inflatables are not permitted at the Swap Meet or at the Science Olympiad.
Could you describe the Opening Ceremony, Swap Meet, and Closing Ceremony?

Competitors, coaches, and guests will leave the Tailgate Party at 5:30 p. m. on Friday evening and proceed to the adjacent Bob Carpenter Center. The opening ceremony begins with four members of each team walking in with their school banner (maximum width of banner is six feet so that students and banner can walk down the center aisle). These four students will line up for the Parade of States at 5:30 p.m. The head coach, the assistant coach, and the other eleven national event team members will be seated on the floor or lower rows of the Bob Carpenter Center. There will be seats reserved each team including four seats for the students carrying the banner so that they will sit with their team in an assigned row. Entrance to this area will be by nametag. Other guests of the team – additional coaches, parents, alternates, students, friends – will be seated in the unreserved areas available. The opening ceremony will begin at 6pm with the Parade of States. All students are encouraged to wear science olympiad shirts, team or school shirts, or other apparel that shows positive school spirit. The keynote speaker is Dr. Ben Carson.

After the opening ceremony teams will go up to the concourse on the upper level of the Bob Carpenter Center. Here students will meet each other and exchange pins and other memorabilia from their home states. These items should not be expensive and infact are often donated by the local Chamber of Commerce, state travel agencies, or businesses. No inflatables of any kind are permitted.

During the swap meet the head coach (one person) will meet downstairs in the Bob Carpenter Center to hear the latest in any tournament information from the national event supervisors. At registration each team will get one ticket to this meeting. It is hoped that the swap meet and coaches/supervisors meeting will conclude by 9:00 p.m. so that coaches and students can return to their hotels/motels.

On Saturday evening there will be a banquet for which teams should pre-reserve and pre-pay through the online reservation process. The banquet for Division B (middle school) will begin at 4:45pm and end at 5:45 p.m. The banquet for Division C (high school) will begin at 6:00 p.m. and end at 7:00 p.m. Students do dress up for the banquet and closing ceremony. The banquet is in the fieldhouse near the Bob Carpenter Center where the closing ceremony will be held. Students and coaches are asked to be in the same seats as Friday evening’s opening ceremony by 7:15 p.m. The closing ceremony has as its focus the presentation of medals and trophies. The closing ceremony will include both middle school and high school competitors. The ceremony will begin at 7:30 p. m.

Please note that both the opening and closing ceremonies will take place at the Bob Carpenter Center on the campus of the University of Delaware. There is plenty of parking available.
May alternates, additional coaches, parents, and friends attend the opening and closing ceremonies, the tailgate party, the banquet, and purchase pins, t-shirts and other memorabilia?
Use the online registration portion of this web site to reserve dinner Friday, lunch and dinner Saturday, and t-shirts for all members of your party (don’t forget the bus driver). You will be receiving 17 pins at registration for the head coach, assistant coach, and fifteen national event competitors. You can purchase more pins and t-shirts as available on campus. There is a branch of the campus book store in the Bob Carpenter Center where you will be registering if you would like to purchase pins or shirts as available for your alternates, additional coaches, or other members of your party.

Are trial/pilot events open to one person per school or one entry per school?
Each school may participate once in each trial/pilot event by team number. If a trial/pilot event requires two students, then two students from that school may participate.
Some of my supplies cannot travel with me. Where can I mail them?
Please contact your hotel and make arrangements to mail your devices to your hotel. Be sure to mark your package clearly with your name and arrival date.
May coaches and/or parents supervise competitive events?
The head coach and assistant coach may not judge/supervise any events in their division. Parents may not judge/supervise any events their children participate in.
How are team numbers chosen?
Team numbers are listed randomly before the first team faxed in the registration form. When the first fax was received, that team received the first number on the list. This continued until all teams were assigned. Teams may not trade team numbers and students may enter events only at the assigned times by team number. Again, all team numbers were assigned randomly.
Why are there only seventeen assigned seats at the opening and closing ceremonies?
The seventeen reserved seats in the floor area are for the head coach, assistant coach, and fifteen competitors in the national events. All other members of each group – administrators, additional coaches, parents, alternates, additional students, bus drivers, etc. – may sit together in the areas that are not assigned to the 120 teams.
Are AP tests being given on May 16th or 17th?
AP tests are not being given. The Educational Testing Service contacted us and indicated that students must take AP tests at their own high school on the alternate dates provided (May 21 – 23). Please contact the AP test coordinator at your high school for information concerning alternate testing. Please note that the Educational Testing Service will not score any tests that are not taken under standardized conditions at the student’s own high school and that any school that transfers test materials off campus will lose the ability to administer AP exams for a period of no less than two years.
When are the Mission Possible energy transfer lists due?
These are due at 3pm on Friday, May 10th, EST. Please fax them to: Division B – Manley Midgett – 919-760-2303; Division C – Fran Nolan – 919-733-1573.
What are the dimensions of the Storming the Castle competitive space?
The dimensions are a height of 18’11" from the floor to the bottom of the lights, a width of 63’, and a length of 49’ total for both divisions. There will be more than one setup in this space. Storming the Castle will be run indoors.
Do you have pictures of the ceilings of the Wright Stuff and Storming the Castle competitive space?
.
Carpenter Sports Bldg - Gym 2 Ceiling
(Wright Stuff B/C) Click to enlarge.
Pearson Hall - Gym Ceiling
(Storming the Castle B/C) Click to enlarge.
Where can I send you my Saturday breakfast and vehicles for transportation around Newark information?
We are asking each head coach to go to http://www.udel.edu/scienceolympiad/breakfast.html to give us this information. As explained in an e-mail we want to be prepared for your Saturday breakfast needs and parking/traffic control safety.
I am a coach – should I be receiving e-mail information?
We are sending information to coaches so everyone receives the same information. If you did not receive a message on May 6, 2002, please e-mail scienceolympiad@udel.edu with your correct e-mail address.
Can I help build the Egg Drop and have someone else from my team drop it?
The one or two students who build the device between 7:30 and 8:15 am will have their hands stamped. These students must return at their scheduled time by team number to drop the device.
Do I sign in to events by school name or team number?
Competitors sign in by team number. Please print clearly. Some schools have the same name, so team number is very important. Your name badge will have your team number on it. The name badge and wristband will permit you to enter the national events. Your team number will be checked to be sure you are entering during the correct time period. Trial/pilot events do not require name badges or wristbands. The up to two students per school entering these events must do so at the correct time period by team number.
Have you posted event locations on the web? What about parking and campus transportation?
Event locations are now posted on the web so that coaches can better help team members prepare for the 2002 National Science Olympiad. Other additions are a map of campus with event location buildings noted, a listing of team rooms, prices of shirts and pins, meals, campus transportation, and parking and new rules announcements. All event locations and team rooms will be open from 6 am to 4 pm. They will not be available on Friday. All belongings and devices must be out of the rooms by 4 pm. Most supervisors will arrive in their event locations at 7 am. Impoundment does not begin until 7:30 pm. The 6am time is for those few events that have a long setup time.
What is the Spirit Award?
The Spirit Award goes to the team in each division that most exemplifies the true spirit of science olympiad. Each event selects one team and the team with the most votes wins in that division.
What is the Angel Award?
One coach per team can enter his/her name for the Angel Award which enables the randomly selected winner to attend the summer science olympiad training run by the National Science Olympiad.
A good suggestion…
A coach had the experience that one of her students had an epileptic seizure at a science olympiad competition. She recommends that coaches be sure each student has paperwork on them indicating their name, school, name and cell phone number of coach (if coach has cell phone with them), home phone number, team room number, and hotel where group is staying.
How do I know if my Mission Possible energy transfer list was received?
Group e-mails to coaches have included event locations, team numbers of those transfer lists received, Battery Buggy checklist, and other tidbits of information. All important information goes on the web site also – e-mail is a vehicle to get out information as quickly as possible. Our goal is that all teams have all information as fairness to all is important.