Please check this site the night before each tryout meeting in case there are any changes to meeting locations. An announcement will be right here if the meeting is moved from the cafeteria.
Additional Information needed for ALL students trying out.
Welcome to the Fall 2026 Dodgen Science Olympiad Try-outs! Science Olympiad is an exciting way to learn more about science, technology, engineering, & math (STEM). We are a competitive team with tryouts. The Dodgen team competes at multiple tournaments through-out the year. We will accept students based on try-out information.
Try-outs - Students must attend all 3 Try-out meetings and complete the applications. If absent from school due to illness on day of a try-out, email the team sponsor, Mrs. Kappel about how to make up the try-out tests and content from that session.
Part 1: Try-outs_- Online Application
All interested students should complete these forms
Student Application Form- Student Application - (Due by 8/19/2026)
Parent Information Form- Parent Information Form - (Due by 8/19/2026)
Teacher Recommendation Form - Send this link Teacher Recommendation Form Link 2026 to two of your teachers from last year by Friday, 8/14/26. One link should be sent to your science teacher and another to a teacher of your choice from last year. If your Science teacher has retired or moved out of the Cobb County School District, please select another academic teacher for this recommendation. We may follow up with the teacher if no recommendation is received by 9/4/26.
Below is an example of an email that you can send to your teachers. You can copy and paste this into an email or create your own. Please be sure the link works in your email before sending.
Dear Dr./Mr./Mrs. (teacher last name),
I am applying for the Dodgen Middle School Science Olympiad Team. The application requires a recommendation from two of my teachers from last year. Could you please complete the recommendation form at this link: Teacher Recommendation Form Link 2026. The form should only take a few minutes to complete and submit. The form must be completed by Tuesday, September 1st, 2026
Thank you for your time.
Your name
Part 2: Try-outs - Tues, Aug. 11th, 2026
Try-outs begin: All Students interested in trying out for the Dodgen Science Olympiad Team should come to cafeteria at 4:20 dismissal and join us to find out more information about Science Olympiad (SO)!!
5:30 pm – Parent Pickup is located ONLY in the back of the school, where busses are loaded (not at front office parking lot).
Part 3: Try-outs_- Tues, August 25th, 2026
Students meet in cafeteria at 4:20 dismissal
Homework will be discussed at team meeting.
PARENT MEETING: 5:30 pm in Cafeteria (students also attend this meeting). Park in the bus lot. We will have a volunteer at the door to allow parents in.
Part 4: Try-outs_- Tues, Sept. 8th, 2026
Students meet in cafeteria at 4:20 dismissal (5:30 pm parent pickup in back of school)
Part 3 Homework Assignment due
Part 5: Complete Assigned Homework
Assignment instructions will be handed out and explained at the August 25th meeting and links posted here on 8/30.
If accepted to the team, students must be available to work with coaches & team each week in addition to independent study time at home. Please consider your other obligations and whether or not you have time to join our team. Each 6th grade student who is accepted will compete on 2 events and 7th & 8th graders will compete in 3-4 events. Students must maintain an A/B average in all classes while on the team. Students on the team must also exhibit exemplary classroom behavior - suspensions of any sort (in school or out of school) will result in removal from the team.
Tournaments are on Saturdays. We do not have the entire season yet, but students must be able to compete in tournaments on October 10th (Virtual scrimmage at Dodgen) and November 14th (Dodgen-Walton Invitational at Walton. Parent volunteers are required at this event since we help host it). Tournaments run pretty much the entire day from 8:00 am until the awards ceremony in the afternoon (some time between 3-5 pm). There are usually other competitions the beginning of December and end of January. All teams compete at regionals and are usually in February (They have conflicted with our February Break sometimes). Only the members of the A team attend the state tournament in April.
We will notify you about further steps after the student application form, the parent information form and teacher recommendation forms have been submitted (you will find links below).
You can find out about the events for this year at this link Science Olympiad Resources or at SOINC.org.
Thank you for your interest in our team,
The Dodgen Middle School Science Olympiad Leadership Team
barbara.kappel@cobbk12.org
