West Virginia Science Olympiad

West Virginia Science Olympiad is an annual in-person STEM competition at Marshall University, open to grades 6-12, with opportunities for teams to advance to the National Science Olympiad. It emphasizes hands-on scientific challenges and is free of charge.

The West Virginia Science Olympiad is an annual STEM competition hosted by Marshall University College of Science since 1984. It features Divisions B (middle school) and C (high school) tournaments, allowing public, private, and homeschool teams to compete in a variety of science and engineering challenges that promote critical thinking and collaboration. Out-of-state teams may participate but cannot qualify for nationals through West Virginia. The event fosters STEM education and advances winning teams to the national level.

Competition Details

Judging Criteria

Teams compete in multiple events with scoring based on event-specific rubrics covering performance, accuracy, collaboration, and knowledge. Each event has judges who evaluate practical and written components. Scores are aggregated over all events to determine team rankings. Top teams qualify to advance to the National Science Olympiad. Out-of-state teams participating in the West Virginia tournament are not eligible for advancement.