History of the Montana Science Olympiad

The first Montana Science Olympiad competition was held on the MSU campus October 15, 1985. Ten events were offered for both divisions: Science Bowl, Pentathlon, Fermi Questions, Titration Race, Rocks to Riches, Qualitative analysis, Password, Facts in Five, Paper Airplane, and Orienteering.

Teams from 17 school districts competed in the first Science Olympiad with seven junior high and thirteen high schools. The schools participating in the junior high division included: Bozeman, Florence-Carlton, Manhattan, Monforton, Poplar, St. Labre Catholic Indian School, and Willson Middle School. The high school division was made up of thirteen schools: Bozeman, Capital, Dawson County, Drummond, Florence-Carlton, Hellgate, Manhattan, Poplar, Sentinel, Sidney, St. Labre Catholic Indian School, Sunburst, and Whitehall. Student participants numbered just under 300.

The top teams in the First Montana Science Olympiad were: Division B--Florence-Carlton Junior High School, Bozeman Junior High School, and Willson Middle School of Bozeman; Division C--Bozeman High, Hellgate High and Sentinel High. The first place teams for each division competed in the National Competition at East Lansing, Michigan on May 16 and 17. Beginning in 1988, a small school champion trophy was awarded in both divisions.

Previous State Competition Winners: 1985-2019

Year
Division B - Middle School
B - Small School
Division C - High School
C - Small School
 1985  Florence - Carlton    Bozeman  
 1986  Bozeman    Helena  
 1987  Bozeman   Helena   
 1988 Bozeman   Monforton Helena  Sunburst 
1989  Big Timber  Boulder   Helena Big Sandy 
 1990 Bozeman  Bonner  Sentinel  Manhattan Christian 
 1991 Big Timber   Florence - Carlton  Bozeman Florence - Carlton 
 1992 Big Timber    Bozeman   
1993  Big Timber  Gallatin Home School  Bozeman  Manhattan Christian 
1994  Big Timber   Big Sandy Bozeman  Manhattan Christian 
 1995 Big Timber  Big Sandy  Bozeman  Big Sandy 
1996 Big Timber  Big Sandy  Bozeman  Valier 
1997 Valier Clancy Valier Big Sandy & Manhattan
 1998  Big Timber Clancy   Valier Big Sandy 
 1999  Sacajawea Valier   Valier Fairfield 
2000  Big Timber   Fairfield Valier   Sunburst
 2001 Big Timber   Absarokee  Lewistown Big Sandy 
2002  Big Sandy  Fairfield  Bozeman  Carter County 
2003   Big Timber Clancy  Sidney   Sunburst
2004 Big Timber Clancy Fergus Sunburst
2005 Big Timber Valier Big Sandy Carter County
2006 Big Timber Big Sandy Fergus Sunburst
2007 Big Timber Roosevelt Fergus Carter County
2008 CR Anderson Clancy Helena Sunburst
2009 Big Timber Roosevelt Helena Sunburst
2010 Corvallis Thompson Falls Helena Sunburst
2011 Clancy Roosevelt Thompson Falls Sunburst
2012 Corvallis Big Sandy Billings Central Thompson Falls
2013 Corvallis Big Sandy Helena North Toole
2014  Corvallis Absarokee  Fergus  Culbertson 
2015 Corvallis Roosevelt Hamilton North Toole County

2016

Clancy

TIE: Roosevelt Middle School

AND Absarokee Junior High School

Helena Culbertson

2017

CR Anderson

Absarokee

Helena Culbertson

2018

Hamilton

Absarokee

Hamilton

Culbertson

2019

Corvallis Middle School

Absarokee Middle School

Hamilton High School

North Toole County High School

2020-21

Helena Area Christian Home Educators

Absarokee Middle School

Hamilton High School

North Toole County High School

2021-22

North Middle School, Great Falls

Emerge School, Bozeman

Hamilton High School

Choteau High School

2022-23

Corvallis Middle School

Helena Area Christian Home Educators

Hamilton High School

Choteau High School

2022 results

Division B:  1st Place - North Middle School, Great Falls
                       
2nd Place - (tie): C.R. Anderson Middle School, Helena, and Corvallis Middle School                       

                       3rd Place - Lewistown Junior High School

Division C: 1st Place - Hamilton High School
                       2nd Place - Capital High School
                       3rd Place - Corvallis High School

                                                     and 

Division B Small School: First Place -  Emerge School

Division C Small School: First Place - Choteau High School