Model UN and Science Olympiad in Middle School

[Anonymous]

Could anyone please give some idea of the general time commitment for either of these activities in 7th grade? (DC attends RRMS.) I know they are two very different activities.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

The after school specialist - Amanda Sperling should have the information.

[Anonymous]

No one has kids who have done either of these activities? (Did send an email to after school specialist, but I doubt she knows the ins and outs of each club.)

[Anonymous]

We're not at RRMS.

MUN is very time consuming in terms of events (expect to commit many weekends throughout the year). How often the kids meet in school depends on the person who runs it.

SO's time commitment depends on how many events your child participates in and how intense the coaching is. I would expect, say, 5-6 hours a week for three events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're not at RRMS.

MUN is very time consuming in terms of events (expect to commit many weekends throughout the year). How often the kids meet in school depends on the person who runs it.

SO's time commitment depends on how many events your child participates in and how intense the coaching is. I would expect, say, 5-6 hours a week for three events.

+1

Also not at RRMS

MUN took up roughly 20 or so weekends (Saturday and Sunday, plus 3 hours a week after-school.

SO is event dependent. One of the events was 2 hours a week, another event was an hour a week. Lots of coordination with schedules.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much - did not realize MUN was such a commitment!

[Anonymous]

MUN at RRMS involves weekly meetings but is not 20 weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're not at RRMS.

MUN is very time consuming in terms of events (expect to commit many weekends throughout the year). How often the kids meet in school depends on the person who runs it.

SO's time commitment depends on how many events your child participates in and how intense the coaching is. I would expect, say, 5-6 hours a week for three events.

+1

Also not at RRMS

MUN took up roughly 20 or so weekends (Saturday and Sunday, plus 3 hours a week after-school.

SO is event dependent. One of the events was 2 hours a week, another event was an hour a week. Lots of coordination with schedules.[/quote]

This is right, OP.

Parent here whose kid did ES and MS Science Olympiad (and loved it). Weekly commitments do depend on numbers of events your child does but be aware, OP, that most kids must do at least three events, and a few might do four, so multiply one to three hours per week times three to four events. And when the competition days are approaching, that time commitment may increase in the weeks just prior to competition. Depends a lot on each event's coach and how hard the school "coach" (usually a teacher who coordinates things) pushes the team. Also, in most schools, parents are expected to help with SO, often including coaching events; SO cannot happen without parent involvement at many levels.

If your MS provides some form of a weekly after-school SO meeting time, that's great, but if it's all the kids at once, that's not going to be the end of your child's SO time each week. Each event should have a coach who is meeting with just the kids in that one event each week, or possibly assigning them research or building work each week even if they don't see the coach weekly. As the person above noted, there is a lot of parent coordinating of kids' schedules so the kids can get together outside school for coaching and practice.

Competitions are not multiple weekends. Figure on two to three: Your kid would have one regional competition (all day on a Saturday or Sunday) and then the one-day state competition if his or her team gets to state. There could be a third all-day Saturday event if your school's team goes to an "invitational" meet prior to regionals; invitationals do no count towards competition slots but help the kids get a good taste of what regionals will be like.

We love SO and I think it's a great program. Our daughter really enjoyed doing it.. Just be aware that your child has to be willing and able to give up, say, weekend hours for coaching and building, and not just an hour after school one day a week. The rewards in terms of learning and great camaraderie among the kids were huge, so it was worth it for our kid, and exposed her to topics she wouldn't otherwise have tried!

[Anonymous]

SO at our MS (not RRMS) was done mostly on weekends at the coach's house. It was roughly 4 or 5 months of Saturday morning into mid-afternoon sessions at the coach's house plus late Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening sessions. There were the official weekend events, too -- regionals, states, plus a demonstration weekend. But most of the actual work time were on the other weekends.

[Anonymous]

^^Fairfax HS Invitational is January 9, 2016.

http://www.virginiaso.com/invitationals.php

[Anonymous]

Not at RR, but had a child do MUN and SO last year and play a travel sport. All was doable, but your child needs to be able their time.

[Anonymous]

Is SO only for kids who are already stellar in science or can a kid who is interested in science but not an A student also participate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is SO only for kids who are already stellar in science or can a kid who is interested in science but not an A student also participate?

It depends on the school. Some schools (particularly the large centers) have waitlists so they screen one way or another. Smaller schools that have room on their teams should be more welcoming.

[Anonymous]

can any one layout the selection criteria that was used for science Olympiad in our schools..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:can any one layout the selection criteria that was used for science Olympiad in our schools..

it depends on the school.