Illinois 2014

[nomynameisnotkevin]

Results are up on Avogadro.

[matthew101802]

Div. B
avogadro.ws/hosted/il-state-b/public/results
Div. C
avogadro.ws/hosted/il-state-c/public/results

[tuftedtitmouse12]

Did they step aside? I saw some of them crying when they got third place.

I don't think they stepped down. Personally being from SAA, I was shocked because it was the first TIE at IL State in the top 3 EVER. Marie put up a fight , it sucks to have to go down to how many first place medals the team got to decide a winner.

Oh geez, that's brutal.

[Skink]

When I said 'step aside', I didn't mean they'd get second and opt not to go. I meant they wouldn't qualify. And my prediction was almost wrong but right, nevertheless! Congrats to S&A, though MM is in about the roughest position possible.

[mrsteven]

Did they step aside? I saw some of them crying when they got third place.

mmm -_- this is why I hold that science olympiad should be only a high school event at the state range. Keep regionals for all but when people are so upset that they got 3rd in state overall and cry, the maturity is just not there to be putting stress on them in that way.

[XJcwolfyX]

Did they step aside? I saw some of them crying when they got third place.

mmm -_- this is why I hold that science olympiad should be only a high school event at the state range. Keep regionals for all but when people are so upset that they got 3rd in state overall and cry, the maturity is just not there to be putting stress on them in that way.

I never thought about it that way but totally agree! On seventh grade I cried when we got second.

^^ I'm not proud of that, there's just such a lack of maturity at that age, especially in such a stressful competition.

[ckssv07]

Did they step aside? I saw some of them crying when they got third place.

mmm -_- this is why I hold that science olympiad should be only a high school event at the state range. Keep regionals for all but when people are so upset that they got 3rd in state overall and cry, the maturity is just not there to be putting stress on them in that way.

I never thought about it that way but totally agree! On seventh grade I cried when we got second.

^^ I'm not proud of that, there's just such a lack of maturity at that age, especially in such a stressful competition.

The thing is that if you do that there is really no point in having a competition anyways, and I am sure that if a high schooler put I that much effort and came that short In something that they truly cared about they would have the same reaction.

[Crazy Puny Man]

mmm -_- this is why I hold that science olympiad should be only a high school event at the state range. Keep regionals for all but when people are so upset that they got 3rd in state overall and cry, the maturity is just not there to be putting stress on them in that way.

I never thought about it that way but totally agree! On seventh grade I cried when we got second.

^^ I'm not proud of that, there's just such a lack of maturity at that age, especially in such a stressful competition.

The thing is that if you do that there is really no point in having a competition anyways, and I am sure that if a high schooler put I that much effort and came that short In something that they truly cared about they would have the same reaction.

When Bloomington North was announced as 3rd at state, almost nobody was smiling on stage, and when they came back down, some of them were crying. They were really feelin' it, especially since they were 8 pts away from 2nd, as they soon found out.

[Skink]

Anyone who's been in IL awhile may remember the years when South would be in tears, too. It's fair competition to have your expectations dashed sometimes. And they're perfectly normal reactions! Nevertheless, the same two teams can't only be in the top forever.

[mrsteven]

but really, they wouldn't. Or shouldn't by the time you're in high school a level of maturity is expected of you greater than that. They should be able to put what is going on around them in more perspective then thinking that a singular competition defines their self worth.
A vast majority of people in the high school level are aspiring engineers, scientists, and technologists; they really tend to act like it more often than not. You didn't see NT getting physically upset last year after they got 2nd, nor IMSA after they got 3rd (a number of years in a row, though not as close this one)

The point I'm making is not to point fingers at a team and single them out, just that the level of intensity this seems to bring out in the higher level of competitions is probably too much for them: 1 to handle, 2 to process that not winning is not failure, 3 to understand its about learning, not winning, 4 this in no way will have affects anywhere outside of that auditorium. And certainly Scioly produces meaningful affects to them in letting them experience some limited hands on science, which by all accounts is a plus as long as THEY'RE the ones doing it, not the parents.
With some of the "coaching" i've seen in years past (and even this year walking around my campus) so much more stress is placed on them than is entirely appropriate, in some cases. There really should be more protection of the younger people from overly competitive parents. What ever happened to 'its about having fun' or 'learning'? This is no different than a soccer game in many ways.

Now I should qualify that last bit to say I speak of the MS crowd. In the HS crowd, it is more competitive, as it should be. Those people are competing for college entrances, personal interest, and (possibly) scholarships. If you put on your college application you won state in MS, they wont care. HS has much more weight to it. I believe that if B div is to do an upper level competition it should to be focused on personal growth and knowledge, not a score up on a screen. They shouldn't rank, or if they do its ONLY the winner with no other available scoring to coaches or otherwise.

I believe that will yield a much more safe environment for learning and appropriate for the maturity.