Solon Middle School
| Solon Middle School | |
|---|---|
| Location | 6835 Som Center Rd Solon, OH 44139 |
| State |  Ohio
|
| Map |   Solon Middle School Coordinates: 41°22′31″N 81°25′59″W / 41.37514°N 81.43307°W |
| Information | |
| Member of SO since | 1987 |
| Results History | |
| Best regional | 1st, 2004-2006, 2008-2019 |
| Best state | 1st, 2009-2016, 2018-2019 |
| Best nationals | 1st, 2008-2013, 2015, 2018 |
| Social Media | |
| Website | Team Website |
Solon Middle School, located in Ohio, is one of the most successful teams in the nation. They have placed consistently at the regional, state, and national level. Solon Middle School is tied with J.C. Booth Middle School for the most consecutive national titles in Division B and all of Science Olympiad, having 6 titles from 2008 to 2013. The Solon Middle School website can be accessed here.
History
They placed first at the national tournament held at George Washington University ahead of White Pines Middle School by one point. They also won the 2009 National Tournament at Augusta State University over ExCEL Homeschoolers by over 100 points. In 2010, Solon Middle School won the National Tournament at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign over Arden Middle School by slightly over 20 points. In 2011, Solon Middle School, along with Solon High School, placed first in the nation at University of Wisconsin with 244 points. In 2012, Solon Middle School, along with Solon High School, placed first in the nation at University of Central Florida with 200 points. In 2013, Solon Middle School, along with Solon High School, placed first in the nation at Wright State University with a record 167 points. This was the first time in Science Olympiad history that the same school district has won both the Division B & Division C Science Olympiad National Tournaments for three consecutive years. Their non-consecutive national titles came in 2015 at University of Nebraska with a record score of 152, and in 2018 at Colorado State University with a score of 173.
Solon Middle School has also placed 5th with 312 points at Juniata College in 2004, 4th with 349 points at University of Illinois in 2005, and 3rd with 305 points at Indiana University in 2006. More recently, Solon Middle School has also placed 5th with 253 points at with 253 points at University of Central Florida in 2014, 5th with 228 points at University of Wisconsin in 2016, 3rd with 201 points at Wright State University in 2017, and 2nd with 191 points at Cornell University in 2019.
Currently, Solon Middle School holds the record for lowest points scored at Ohio's State Tournament (51 pts). For the success of Solon's Science Olympiad students and the thriving online business community throughout the city, Google Inc. named the city of Solon the digital capital of Ohio and conferred the 2013 eCITY award to Solon.
Solon Middle School feeds into Solon High School, which has a highly successful team as well. The middle school and high school teams interact on a consistent basis, maintaining close relations and supporting each other in terms of resources and motivation.
Team Setup
In order to become a part of the middle school team, one must take a tryout test. Most years, 30 students qualify with around 5-7 alternates. There have been some years where the team has allowed 45 students (3 teams) and some that had 31-32 students with no alternates, but instead used a rotation between the students to decide who was competing. Solon usually takes two teams to Regionals and most Invitational competitions. Eventually, that number is cut to 15 plus 3-6 alternates, as only one team from a school can be taken to states.
Contrary to popular belief, Solon Middle School does not have a class for Science Olympiad. The middle school has only one practice a week for two hours long. Students are heavily encouraged to study on their own time, since official meetings only occur once a week.
Solon Invitational
Part of Solon Middle School's success is due to the many invitationals it participates in. Annually, Solon holds their own invitational on the first Saturday of February. The Solon Invitational has been able to attract many powerhouse schools, including (highest placing at nationals in parentheses):
- J.C. Booth Middle School, GA (1st)
- Daniel Wright Junior High School, IL (1st)
- Marie Murphy Middle School, IL (2nd)
- Shady Side Academy Middle School, PA (3rd)
- Magsig Middle School, OH (3rd)
- Meads Mill Middle School, MI (3rd)
- Piedmont Middle School, NC (4th)
- Bala Cynwyd Middle School, PA (4th)
- Chardon Middle School, OH (5th)
- Piqua Junior High School, OH (6th) - Discontinued
- Sewickley Academy, PA (6th) - Discontinued
In the past, some considered the competition at Solon Invitational as the second most difficult tournament, only behind the National Tournament.
Results History
Since 2004, Solon has failed to qualify for Nationals only once.
| Year | National | Points | State | Points | Regional | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3rd | 109 | 1st | 36 | 1st/3rd | 36 |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to 2019-20 Coronavirus outbreak | 1st | 29 | |||
| 2019 | 2nd | 191 | 1st | 58 | 1st | |
| 2018 | 1st | 173 | 1st | 66 | 1st | |
| 2017 | 3rd | 201 | 2nd | 106 | 1st | |
| 2016 | 5th | 228 | 1st | 109 | 1st | |
| 2015 | 1st | 1521 | 1st | 64 | 1st | 63 |
| 2014 | 5th | 253 | 1st | 86 | 1st | |
| 2013 | 1st | 167 | 1st | 512 | 1st | 73 |
| 2012 | 1st | 200 | 1st | 82 | 1st/2nd | 464 |
| 2011 | 1st | 244 | 1st | 693 | 1st/4th | 52 |
| 2010 | 1st | 246 | 1st | 88 | 1st/2nd | 38 |
| 2009 | 1st | 242 | 1st | 73 | 1st/2nd | 77 |
| 2008 | 1st | 249 | 2nd | 128 | 1st/3rd | 63 |
| 2007 | - | - | 3rd | 113 | 2nd/3rd | 75 |
| 2006 | 3rd | 305 | 1st | 130 | 1st/2nd | |
| 2005 | 4th | 349 | 2nd | 1st | ||
| 2004 | 5th | 312 | 1st | 1st | ||
| 2003 | - | - | ||||
| 2002 | - | - | ||||
| 2001 | - | - | ||||
| 2000 | - | - | ||||
| 1999 | 11th | 2nd | ||||
| 1998 | - | - | ||||
| 1997 | 26th | 1st | ||||
- 1 Previous National Record for lowest points ever scored at the National Tournament.
- 2 State Record for lowest points ever scored in the state of Ohio.
- 3 Towers was excluded from scoring at the State Tournament.
- 4 Storm the Castle was excluded from scoring at the Regional Tournament.
- 5 The 2020 Ohio State Tournament and the 2020 North Carolina State University National Tournament were both cancelled this year, due to the 2019-20 Coronavirus outbreak.
| Year | Piqua | Northmont | Kenston | Magsig | Solon | InVIEW | Mentor | Roseville | WL-S | Wright State | New Albany | Lisle | Booth | Westlake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | - | - | 1st | - | - | 1st | - | 1st | 2nd/7th | - | - | - | 1st/? | |
| 2017 | - | - | 2nd/4th | - | - | 1st/4th | - | 1st/3rd | 2nd/13th | - | - | - | 1st/? | |
| 2016 | - | - | 2nd/4th | - | 1st/? | - | 2nd/12th | - | - | |||||
| 2015 | - | - | - | 1st/3rd | - | 1st/2nd | - | cancelled | - | - | ||||
| 2014 | - | - | - | 1st/2nd | 1st/6th | - | 1st/? | - | 1st/? | 2nd/4th | 1st/? | - | - | 1st/? |
| 2013 | - | 1st/3rd | 1st | 1st | 3rd/6th | - | 1st/? | - | 1st/? | 2nd/? | 1st | - | 1st/4th | - |
| 2012 | - | 1st/2nd | 1st/2nd | 1st/2nd | 1st/3rd | - | 1st/2nd | - | 1st/2nd | 1st/4th | 1st/2nd | - | - | - |
| 2011 | - | 1st/2nd | 1st/2nd | 1st/3rd | 1st/4th | - | 1st/2nd | - | 1st/2nd | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2010 | - | 1st/2nd | 1st/2nd | 1st/? | 1st/? | - | 1st/2nd | - | 1st/? | - | - | 1st | - | - |
| 2009 | - | 1st/2nd | 1st/2nd | 1st/2nd | 1st/3rd | 1st | 1st | - | 1st/3rd | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2008 | 1st/3rd | 1st/4th | - | 1st/2nd | 1st/3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2007 | 1st/2nd | 2nd/3rd | - | 1st/2nd | 1st/5th | 1st | 2nd | 1st | - | - | - | - | - | - |