New York State Science Olympiad

NYSSO is New York's largest Science Olympiad program, involving 100+ schools per division in in-person STEM team competitions culminating in state finals at Le Moyne College and East Syracuse-Minoa High School.

The New York State Science Olympiad (NYSSO), run by New York State Science Olympiad, Inc., is New York's premier statewide STEM competition program. It engages over 100 schools per division from elementary through high school in rigorous, team-based Science Olympiad tournaments. The program culminates annually in state finals held at Le Moyne College (Division C) and East Syracuse-Minoa High School (Division B), promoting teamwork, STEM skills, and academic competition excellence.

Competition Details

Judging Criteria

Winners are determined by accumulative scoring across multiple Science Olympiad events, which include written tests, lab challenges, and engineering tasks. Each event has its own rubric and scoring system, measuring accuracy, speed, and teamwork. Teams receive points based on event placement, with lower scores indicating better performance (1st place = 1 point). Overall team ranking is determined by the sum of event scores. Top teams from regional competitions advance to the state finals. Tie-breakers and exact scoring details follow official Science Olympiad national rules and NYSSO policies.