As many of you may know, there is a national Science Olympiad Alumni Network with the intention of connecting alumni, coaches, volunteers, and others involved with Science Olympiad. However, I think the concept of an "alumni network" could also have a major impact on the state level, as keeping alumni involved could solve many issues that get brought up here; inexperienced/unprepared supervisors, events getting dropped form tournaments, disconnects between state boards and competitors, etc. Having alumni that are engaged in active communication with state organizations could really solve some problems.
However, there are still problems with this concept. After helping with the creation of an alumni page for Pennsylvania (if you throw a like our way I will love you forever) I've found that it's a little hard to actually reach alumni to sign up in the first place, which is kind of important to the whole concept. Secondly, I am not sure how exactly such a network should be set up; the public page is one thing, but the network itself where alumni and board members are communicating is different. My idea of what should be in the application could be different from other alumni, which could be different for board members, and then the subsequent content and frequency of communications is up for similar debate.
So, as I typically do when I have wild idea in my head and I'm not sure where exactly to go, I open it up to all of you. What do you think a state-level alumni organization should look like? Even if you're not an alumnus (which is most of you), what do you think would make such an organization most helpful to Science Olympiad in your state? And, what would be the best ways to reach you and/or your teammates when you do become alumni?
Thanks! (and remember, additional likes are welcome)
