What Happens at an Invitational? Invitationals are more similar to track meets than to soccer games. An Invitational lasts all day, with specific competition test events scheduled hourly throughout the day.  The arrangement, or schedule, of competition test events changes at each Invitational.

 

The Schedule of the Day: We leave our area around 6am, to get to the host school around 8am, for team sign-in and impoundment of building event items (that means “turning them in,” so students can’t keep working on them as the day goes on). Events usually end around 3 or 4; awards are handed out around 5; and departure time is around 6 or 6:30pm. There are two events that are overnights – one to-be-determined (usually in Jan. or Feb.) and State Competition (early April). We will leave the Friday before, and return on that Saturday night.

 

Invitational Teams: Our school will have three teams at each Invitational. Each team consists of 15 members. The students assigned to each team changes with each Invitational (due to complexities of scheduling) – therefore, students will have many opportunities to compete in their topic areas. Each school team can have only one pair of students to compete in each event. So, with 23 topics, and a 15 member team – students must be prepared to compete in more than one area.

 

Invitational Tests (called “Events”): From the 15 member teams, students will go in pairs to compete in each topic area. “Competing” can consist of taking an hour long test about the topic (if it is a study topic); and/or doing some laboratory experiments; and/or building something, or demonstrating what you have already built at home. These are college level events and the tests are not easy; so students should not be expecting to breeze through the tests.

 

Scoring for Events: At every Invitational, the event tests (the 23 topics) are graded/scored, and the two-person pair who took the test receives points for their school team. Top score (first place) is given one point for their school, 2nd place = two points, etc. At the end of the day, all of the school points are added, and the school with the lowest total points wins that Invitational.  Medals are given to the student pairs with the highest individual event/test scores, and to the schools with the lowest total point scores.  

 

Regionals, in Piqua in mid-March: At the Regional Competition, Northmont Middle School will still have three teams competing. However, at this point, teams will be filled with the 45 students best able to cover the 23 topic areas. Our team score at Regionals will determine if we are able to go on to State Competition.

 

State Competition, at Ohio State, in April: At the State Competition, each school can only have one team compete. At this point, the 15 students best able to cover the 23 topics will be selected. The entire group is welcome (and encouraged!) to come to support the team.