🎃 Tricks & Treats at the Coaches Clinic! Come for the tricks, stay for the treats — and leave with some new coaching magic!
🧟 The 2027 Trial Events: Events Have Come Back to Life!
Some familiar faces are returning from the grave, while new events have been created from scratch. Come see what’s lurking in the lab!
🕸️ Mentors Needed: Help New Teams Escape the Graveyard! New teams are rising — and they need experienced coaches and mentors to help bring them to life!
🎃 Tricks & Treats at the Coaches Clinic!
The Coaches Clinicwill be on Saturday, October 10 from 8:00 A.M. to 3:45 P.M. at the STEM TRAIL Center on the UNO Dodge Street Campus. We really hope you can join us this year! We still have some stipends available - get signed up today!
Please use the following to register for the clinic
$100 stipends for the first 25 coaches who register and attend the full day.
$150 travel vouchers for the first 12 coaches who register, are traveling more than 140 miles, and need help with hotel and/or gas expenses.
7 - 9 Experienced coaches, event directors, and event supervisors as your session leaders.
8 sessions, with 3 choices during each session (with only a couple of repeats).
Free breakfast with coffee, juice, and breakfast treats.
Free lunch from Ebert’s & Gerbert’s, with various sandwich choices, including a vegetarian option.
Raffle prizes!
🧟The 2027 Trial Events:
Events Have Come Back to Life!
Alternate students may compete only in the Trial Eventsat the State Tournament. However, any competitive team member may also participate in the Trial Events.
Trial Events do not count toward a team’s overall score. Individual awards will be presented for Trial Events in each division.
Trial Events Descriptions
Balsa Crash Test! — Build it. Drop it. Survive the crash. Construct a lightweight balsa structure designed to protect a standard golf ball through increasingly higher drops.
Code Craze — Code it. Crack it. Conquer it. Test your skills in AI, machine learning, cryptography, and Python through CodeHS challenges and activities.
Horizontal Balloon Rocket Race— Build it. Load it. Race it! Design an air-powered tram that races along a fishing line while carrying as much cargo as possible.
Ornithology — Think you know your birds? Prove it! A written challenge covering North American birds, their characteristics, habitats, and more.
Paper Pilots — Fold it. Fly it. Find the target! Design and build a paper airplane that can travel the distance and accurately reach designated targets.
Weather or Not — Can you weather the challenge? Put your meteorological knowledge to the test with a written challenge covering weather terms, techniques, phenomena, and events.
So far this year, we’ve welcomed at least 10 new coaches and 7 brand new teams! To support them (if they want), I’d like to pair each with an experienced Science Olympiad coach as a mentor. The role is simple—just being available to answer questions by email or maybe, occasionally, over Zoom. While I’m always happy to help, sometimes hearing from another coach’s perspective can be especially valuable. This is the kind of help that makes our program strong for everyone!
If you’re interested in mentoring a new coach, please let Dee know!
The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity.
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