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Re: Florida 2019

Posted: February 25th, 2019, 4:31 pm
by demir
Killboe wrote: You should also do a test review process for your own invitational because some tests were really bad, such as solar.
You are absolutely right. We actually had quite a few terrible tests. We replaced some and improved others. Some though, I did not see until the morning of the competition. When you host early invitationals to help your competitors, who may or may not have serious adult help, that happens. We ask people to prepare tests so 1- we have lesser load so we can host multiple invitationals, 2- the coaches can learn what the event should look like. Some like Galaxy Middle people or your head coach, take that seriously, others that should not be named don't. Not everyone is as lucky as your team to have a such a dedicated coach. They let everyone down in the events they are trusted to prepare. However, I'd like to think both middle school invitationals worked their purpose despite those horrible tests. And if your team gets in top two at state this year, it will be partly thanks to those invitationals.

As for next year, we WILL have a review process. Now that most people see how valuable these invitationals are, I won't need to bend over backwards to bring people in. Anyone is welcome as long as they carry their weight. Each TEAM will be required to supervise an event, and they won't be able to compete if they don't. All written tests will be due two weeks prior so we have enough time to fix them if they lack acceptable quality. And as last resort, we will have a backup test for each event prepared by one of our people and the team that failed to prepare an acceptable test after volunteering will either pay a somewhat hefty fine or won't be able to compete. I would rather have a well-supervised invitational with 10 teams than a shaky one with 25.

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: February 28th, 2019, 11:45 am
by Killboe
Is it decided if there are going to be 2 picks for nationals or only 1.

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: February 28th, 2019, 12:19 pm
by demir
Killboe wrote:Is it decided if there are going to be 2 picks for nationals or only 1.
No, but our second spots should be quite safe this year in both divisions. We had Georgia behind us in Division C (sending two teams) and there should not be any significant change there.

The biggest threat was Vermont Science Olympiad to Division B. It was -to my best knowledge- the only state that did not have Division B. They did not add a division B this year too. It would take a spot from a state that sends two teams and ours was next in line.

Also West Virginia cancelled their Division B and our Division B membership seems significantly higher compared to last year (based on regional results). So, no reason why we should send one team this year.

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: February 28th, 2019, 6:30 pm
by Killboe
demir wrote:
Killboe wrote:Is it decided if there are going to be 2 picks for nationals or only 1.
No, but our second spots should be quite safe this year in both divisions. We had Georgia behind us in Division C (sending two teams) and there should not be any significant change there.

The biggest threat was Vermont Science Olympiad to Division B. It was -to my best knowledge- the only state that did not have Division B. They did not add a division B this year too. It would take a spot from a state that sends two teams and ours was next in line.

Also West Virginia cancelled their Division B and our Division B membership seems significantly higher compared to last year (based on regional results). So, no reason why we should send one team this year.

Thank you for the clarification, that is a REAL reliever. Let's hope that both picks will remain. Good luck to you guys at states!

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: March 1st, 2019, 5:33 am
by scienceisfunalil
Did anyone do forensics at states last year? If you did, what flame did they provide for powders?

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: March 6th, 2019, 5:05 pm
by huppada
I just realized that UF put their tests for the Northern Regional on the test exchange, I thought that regional directors weren't allowed to release their test sets at all?

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: March 6th, 2019, 5:17 pm
by Unome
huppada wrote:I just realized that UF put their tests for the Northern Regional on the test exchange, I thought that regional directors weren't allowed to release their test sets at all?
The most common rule is against releasing individual tests back to teams. Rarely does a state organization prohibit publishing of tests digitally.

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: March 6th, 2019, 7:14 pm
by pepperonipi
Unome wrote:
huppada wrote:I just realized that UF put their tests for the Northern Regional on the test exchange, I thought that regional directors weren't allowed to release their test sets at all?
The most common rule is against releasing individual tests back to teams. Rarely does a state organization prohibit publishing of tests digitally.
I think it's great that the Northern Regional publishes their exams so that teams can review any parts of the test they may not have felt well about. Hopefully other regions of Florida can start doing this too, because it'd be nice and helpful, even if we can't see specifically what our team got wrong.

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: March 27th, 2019, 7:04 pm
by windu34
huppada wrote:I just realized that UF put their tests for the Northern Regional on the test exchange, I thought that regional directors weren't allowed to release their test sets at all?
This is at the discretion of the tournament director. There is no rule against it, but many regional directors dont release them because 1.) They dont know how, 2.) They dont think its worth the effort, 3.) They dont want to receive emails from teams complaining, 4.) They may plan to reuse them in the future at their own tournament or at another regional tournament.
UFSO chooses to release them because as alumni, we understand the value they bring to competitors and remember how frustrating regionals/states always was because you never had the opportunity to learn from your mistakes.
In addition to our regional exams, we release any and all tests written by UFSO members after every competition, including regionals/states/invitationals (nationals will likely be the exception here). You can expect to see UFSO-written exams on our website following the upcoming state tournament this Saturday.

On that note, Good luck to everyone competing at states on Saturday!! I look forward to a wonderful competition day. Nine of the UFSO E-Board and two UF SciOly alumni will be there to supervise Mission Possible (C), Protein Modeling (C), Fossils (C), Crime Busters (B), Disease Detectives (B), Game On (B), Boomilever (C), Codebusters (C), Sounds of Music (C), and Thermodynamics (C). I highly encourage all competitors/coaches to come before the first time block or after the last time block to speak to the ES if you are competing in one of these events to ask about ways to improve, how to get involved after high school, or anything else we might be able to help you with!

Re: Florida 2019

Posted: March 27th, 2019, 8:34 pm
by jaah5211
windu34 wrote:
huppada wrote:I just realized that UF put their tests for the Northern Regional on the test exchange, I thought that regional directors weren't allowed to release their test sets at all?
This is at the discretion of the tournament director. There is no rule against it, but many regional directors dont release them because 1.) They dont know how, 2.) They dont think its worth the effort, 3.) They dont want to receive emails from teams complaining, 4.) They may plan to reuse them in the future at their own tournament or at another regional tournament.
UFSO chooses to release them because as alumni, we understand the value they bring to competitors and remember how frustrating regionals/states always was because you never had the opportunity to learn from your mistakes.
In addition to our regional exams, we release any and all tests written by UFSO members after every competition, including regionals/states/invitationals (nationals will likely be the exception here). You can expect to see UFSO-written exams on our website following the upcoming state tournament this Saturday.

On that note, Good luck to everyone competing at states on Saturday!! I look forward to a wonderful competition day. Nine of the UFSO E-Board and two UF SciOly alumni will be there to supervise Mission Possible (C), Protein Modeling (C), Fossils (C), Crime Busters (B), Disease Detectives (B), Game On (B), Boomilever (C), Codebusters (C), Sounds of Music (C), and Thermodynamics (C). I highly encourage all competitors/coaches to come before the first time block or after the last time block to speak to the ES if you are competing in one of these events to ask about ways to improve, how to get involved after high school, or anything else we might be able to help you with!

Definitely looking forward to see the ES!

Good luck to everybody this saturday!