About Us
The Science Olympiad committee (SOC) was established in February 2002 with the ultimate goal to increase interest in sciences and engineering among young students, foster their knowledge beyond the confines of a classroom, and provide recognition of outstanding achievements by students and teachers.
The committee organizes an annual Science Olympiad competition among students from Armenian and public schools in the Los Angeles area. The Olympiad provides interscholastic academic competition in the fields of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering and Robotics for two grade levels, Middle School (grades 6-8) and High School (grades 9-12).
Students’ projects are evaluated based on creativity, scientific approach, comprehension, and presentation. The Science Olympiad follows the California State Science Fair rules and regulations. The competition is judged by engineering professionals and scientists, many of whom hold advanced degrees in their fields. Some of the judges also serve at the Los Angeles County and California State science fairs. Participating students submit their projects and posters and are visited by a number of judges throughout the competition day. During the evaluation and interview process, the judges provide constructive feedback to all students for future improvements of their projects and presentations.
One of the purposes of the Science Olympiad is to prepare students for the county and state competitions as well as nurture their passion for engineering and sciences. Custom-made obsidian medals from Armenia are given to winners and participants of the Science Olympiad competition, in addition:
| Level of winner | Senior (9-12) | Junior (6-8) |
| 1st place | $250 | $250 |
| 2nd place | $150 | $150 |
| 3rd place | $100 | $100 |
| Honorable mention | $50 | $50 |
SOC also offers a mentoring program. Students are matched with experts in the area of their interest. The mentors consult the students to better guide them with their projects throughout the preparation of their science projects.
An award in Excellence in Science consisting of $300 is given to School of the Year selected for their contributions to advancement of science education.
The school will receive this amount through the purchase of scientific equipment for its science laboratories.
A personal financial award in the amount of $300 is given to the teacher who receives the most points based on the following scoring criteria:
| 1 point for each submitted project (not the number of participating students) |
| 4 points for 1st place winner |
| 3 points for 2nd place winner |
| 2 points for 3rd place winner |
| 1 point for Honorable mention |
The monetary Awards are supported by a special AESA fund, Science Olympiad Endowment fund.
Science Olympiad
The AESA Science Olympiad Committee organizes an annual competition among Armenian students from Armenian and public schools in the Los Angeles area and abroad. The Olympiad is an interscholastic academic competition in the fields of physical and life sciences.
What is Science Olympiad?
The Science Olympiad Committee (SOC) was established in February 2002 with the ultimate goal to increase interest in sciences and engineering among young Armenian students, foster their knowledge beyond the confines of a classroom, and provide recognition of outstanding achievements by students and teachers.
The committee organizes an annual Science Olympiad competition among Armenian students from Armenian and public schools. The Olympiad provides interscholastic academic competition in the fields of Physical Sciences and Life Sciences for two grade levels: Middle School (grades 6-8) and High School (grades 9-12). Students’ projects are evaluated based on creativity, scientific approach, comprehension, and presentation. The Science Olympiad follows the California State Science Fair rules and regulations. The competition is judged by engineering professionals and scientists, many of whom hold advanced degrees in their fields and also serve at the Los Angeles County and California State science fairs. Participating students submit their projects and posters and are visited by a number of judges throughout the competition day. During the evaluation and interview process, the judges provide constructive feedback to all students for future improvements of their projects and presentations.
Science Olympiad Competition Awards
One of the purposes of the Science Olympiad is to prepare students for the county and state competitions as well as nurture their passion for engineering and science. Custom-made obsidian medals from Armenia are given to winners of the Science Olympiad competition, in addition to the following cash prizes:
| Level of winner | Senior (9-12) | Junior (6-8) |
| 1st place | $250 | $250 |
| 2 nd place | $150 | $150 |
| 3rd | $100 | $100 |
| Honorable mention | $50 | $50 |
School/Teacher Appreciation Award
An annual School Appreciation Award consisting of $300 has been given since the 4th AESA Science Olympiad. The school will receive this amount through the purchase of scientific equipment for its science laboratories. As of 2012, an additional $300 personal financial award has been added. It is given to the teacher who receives the most points based on the following scoring criteria:
- 1 point for each submitted project (not the number of participating students)
- 4 points for 1st Place winner
- 3 points for 2nd Place winner
- 2 points for 3rd Place winner
- 1 point for Honorable mention
All monetary Awards are supported by a special AESA fund called the Science Olympiad Endowment Fund.
Judge Qualifications
Junior Level (Students grades 6-8)
- Certified science, engineering, math or computer science teachers
- Individuals with a degree in science, engineering, math or computer science (STEM)
- People who work in an area of science, engineering, math or computer science
- Undergraduate students working towards a STEM degree; Juniors and Seniors (Upperclassmen)
Senior Level (Students grades 9-12)
- Individuals with a STEM degree, preferably with experience in college “poster sessions” or science fairs
- Students working on a Graduate STEM degree
- High School science, engineering, math or computer science teachers (cannot judge students from their school)
- People working in a STEM field for five or more years
If you are interested in volunteering or mentoring, please fill out this form:
Science Olympiad Team
Science Olympiad Committee Chair