Rose Hill Middle School Science Club PTSA Affiliated

Rose Hill Middle School · Redmond, WA

Competitive STEM teams, built and run by students and families.

The Science Club runs Rose Hill's Science Olympiad and National Science Bowl teams, two of the most respected middle school STEM competitions in the country. Open to all currently enrolled Rose Hill and Stella Schola students, and we have spots available right now.

See open spots Study plans Volunteer opportunities

How the club runs

What makes it work

Parent coached teams

Each team has a head coach plus event coaches drawn from parent volunteers.

Scale with volunteers

The number of teams we can field is capped by the number of adults willing to coach. More volunteers directly equals more students competing.

Costs

Registration and material costs are shared among participating families. Teams buy or fundraise for their own build materials, and families cover travel to most events.

Start over the summer

Study plans for every subject

We publish a study plan for each subject: biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, and mathematics. They get your student ready for the assessment, and more importantly they are the groundwork for both competitions, because the same subjects run through every Science Olympiad event and every Science Bowl round.

Open the study plans

Two Competitions

Many students do both. The seasons overlap but the skills are different. Science Olympiad rewards depth and building; Science Bowl rewards speed and recall.

Team of 15

Science Olympiad

A season long team competition across 23 events spanning biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, engineering and technology. Each student specializes in 2 to 3 events, studying and building toward regional, state and national tournaments.

Team size
15 students
Teams
Up to 6
Events
23 per season
Per student
2 to 3 events
Time
5 to 10 hrs/week

It starts with the assessment, already complete for current 7th and 8th graders and optional in September for new students and incoming 6th graders.

Regional tournament: Greater Seattle area

Top finishers advance to the Washington state tournament in April, and from there to nationals in May. Families are responsible for their own travel and accommodation.

Team of 5

National Science Bowl

A fast paced, buzzer based tournament run by the U.S. Department of Energy. Teams face rapid fire questions in biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, energy and math, often with only seconds to answer.

Team size
5 students, min 4
Teams
Up to 3
Practice
Fridays, 5 to 6pm
Open spots
15

We can staff up to three teams this season, subject to regional caps, enough coaches, and balanced subject coverage. The assessment earns a student a place in weekly practice; teams are named later from practice attendance and continued preparation, and are balanced for topic coverage and student availability.

Practice runs every Friday from 5 to 6pm.

Regional tournament: Portland, OR

The first round is on 6 February in Portland, OR, and families cover travel and accommodation to it. A team that qualifies goes on to nationals in Washington, D.C., where the Department of Energy pays for student flights and hotels.

Availability

What is open right now

Science Olympiad Team #1 and Science Bowl have immediate openings. Science Olympiad Teams #2 through #6 are formalized only once each has a head coach, so those spots depend directly on volunteers stepping forward.

Assessment status

The assessment for current 7th and 8th graders is complete. New students and incoming 6th graders can take an optional assessment in the first week of September. It is conducted in the classroom during regular school hours. Watch the school newsletter for the precise dates.

Questions cover biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, and mathematics.

Program Spots Status Notes
Science Olympiad: Team #1 5 Open Immediate openings on our established team. Start with the assessment, then join practice.
Science Bowl 15 Open Up to three teams of five. The assessment earns a place in Friday practice; teams are named later from practice and continued preparation.
Science Olympiad: Team #2 15 Needs a head coach Formalized as soon as a head coach volunteers.
Science Olympiad: Team #3 15 Needs a head coach Formalized as soon as a head coach volunteers.
Science Olympiad: Team #4 15 Needs a head coach Formalized as soon as a head coach volunteers.
Science Olympiad: Team #5 15 Needs a head coach Formalized as soon as a head coach volunteers.
Science Olympiad: Team #6 15 Needs a head coach Formalized as soon as a head coach volunteers.

Students and families

How to join

Take the assessment, share your contact details, then start practice. Making a team is something you work toward once you are in the room, not a single score on a single day.

Open to all currently enrolled Rose Hill and Stella Schola students. No prior experience is needed, but regular practice on weekdays and weekends matters.

  1. Step 1

    Take the assessment and share your contact details

    Already complete for current 7th and 8th graders. New students and incoming 6th graders have an optional assessment in the first week of September, conducted in the classroom during regular school hours. Watch the school newsletter for the precise dates. Questions cover biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, and mathematics. Send your contact details to science@rhmsptsa.org so you receive announcements.

  2. Step 2

    Volunteer for a head coach position

    For parents and guardians. Science Olympiad Teams #2 to #6 are formalized only once each has a head coach, so this step is what turns a waitlist into a team. See the roles we need.

  3. Step 3

    We reach out

    We invite student families to be part of the team. If you take the assessment and then decide to opt out, just send us an email and we will pass the spot along.

  4. Step 4

    Start practice

    Science Bowl practice runs Fridays from 5 to 6pm. Science Olympiad practice is coordinated with your teammates. This is where the real preparation happens, and teams are built from practice attendance and continued preparation.

What we ask

Expectations

Teams practice regularly with their teammates, parents and coach, and students are also expected to study independently. Events are assigned to specific students, often in pairs, so one student's preparation becomes another student's result. Please read this before accepting a spot.

Science Bowl

3 to 5 hrs/week

Practice and self study.

Science Olympiad

5 to 10 hrs/week

Practice, build and test, and study.

Students agree to

  • Prepare consistently on weekdays and weekends.
  • Meet all material and impound deadlines.
  • Know your event rules and stay in sync with your partner.
  • Compete with good sportsmanship.

Parents and guardians agree to

  • Coach an event (Science Olympiad). If your student picks a build or lab event, expect to coach or help coach it, or to help recruit a coach for it.
  • Support the schedule. Practice time, build and test time, and full tournament days.
  • Arrive on time. Bring students to practices and tournaments on time, and raise conflicts early.
  • Communicate. Respond to coach emails promptly and help keep students on schedule.
  • Help with the practical side. Deadlines, materials and transportation.
  • Stay in sync. Know the event rules and keep in touch with the families of your student's teammates.

Travel to tournaments

Parents and guardians are responsible for logistics and travel to competitions, with one exception.

The Science Bowl regional is in Portland, OR, with the first round on 6 February, and families cover that trip. If a team qualifies for the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., the Department of Energy pays for the students' flights and hotels. Adults travelling with them are not covered. Further details follow as the dates approach.

If commitments slip

Repeatedly missing prep or deadlines may mean giving up an event so a teammate can step in.

Parents and community

Where we need help

A Science Olympiad team is 15 students and needs one head coach. Every head coach who steps forward is another 15 Rose Hill students who compete this year instead of going on a waitlist.

Role Program Time What you would do
Head team coach Science Olympiad ~1 to 2 hrs/week Run weekly team practice from the supplied plan, be the team's point of contact, coordinate with club leadership. One per team. This is the role that unlocks new teams.
Event coach Science Olympiad ~1 to 2 hrs/week Coach one of the events your own student is competing in. Work through the event rules with the pair assigned to it, run practice tests, and supervise build sessions. You are not asked to coach events your student is not in.

To take one of these roles, email Science Club Chair Yash at science@rhmsptsa.org.

Season at a glance

How a year runs

Both programs select teams in the fall, practice through the winter, and compete in the late winter and spring. Exact Rose Hill dates are confirmed once the district and tournament calendars are published.

Read the FAQ

  1. September

    Assessment and start of practice

    Science Olympiad national event rules are released. Optional assessment for new students and incoming 6th graders in the first week, and a virtual information session in the second. Science Bowl practice begins on Fridays.

  2. Autumn

    Teams take shape

    Weekly practice continues. Science Bowl teams are named from practice attendance and continued preparation.

  3. Winter

    Practice season

    Weekly team meetings, event coaching, build work, and scrimmages against other schools.

  4. 6 February

    Science Bowl regional tournament, Portland

    First round is in Portland, OR, and families arrange their own travel. Winning teams advance to the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., where the Department of Energy covers student flights and hotels.

  5. Winter to Spring

    Science Olympiad regional tournament

    Held in the Greater Seattle area. Top regional finishers advance to the Washington state tournament.

  6. April

    State and national championships

    Science Olympiad state tournament; National Science Bowl finals in Washington, D.C.

  7. May

    Science Olympiad National Tournament

    State champions represent Washington at the national tournament.

Questions?

Contact Science Club Chair Yash at science@rhmsptsa.org.

Email the club See open spots Read the FAQ