Help the CometSciOly (Comet Science Olympiad) reach their goal!

Comet Science Olympiad is a student-led organization at The University of Texas at Dallas dedicated to fostering a passion for science within our local community. Our members volunteer their time and expertise to support high school Science Olympiad teams across the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, helping them prepare for competitions and develop the hands-on skills required, as well as volunteering to support these competitions.

Comet Science Olympiad’s mission is simple: to inspire a lifelong love of science through mentorship, competition and hands-on learning. Our members are passionate UT Dallas students in fields of STEM and even those on other career paths. But we all share a common goal: to make science engaging and accessible for everyone.

 Science Olympiad is the largest STEM competition in the US. It uniquely offers a wide variety of events covering all areas of science in a team environment. This allows any student to find subjects that interest them and gives a pathway to pursue their passions outside of the classroom while building lasting connections in a positive atmosphere. However, many schools lack the resources or mentorship needed to compete effectively. That’s where we come in. Comet Science Olympiad bridges that gap by organizing training sessions, offering guidance for different events and helping reinforce learning.

This year, we are launching a Helicopter Building Clinic, a hands-on engineering workshop designed to teach high school students how to construct a small rubberband-powered model helicopter. The clinic will give students the opportunity to explore design and problem-solving in a tangible way. More importantly, it will nurture teamwork and creative thinking, skills that will stick with them later in their careers.

Our fundraising goal is $400, which will directly fund the materials needed to host this event, including the kits, glues, winders, rubber lubricants and other materials needed to give the students a successful experience. By reaching this goal, we can provide all of these necessary materials for multiple teams to participate, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to learning.

If we exceed our goal, additional funds will be used to buy more kits so we can invite more students to the clinic and fund future workshops. Stretch goals would help cover transportation costs for our volunteers and allow us to host more build clinics focused on other Science Olympiad events, such as bridge building, experimental design, or electric vehicle. The more support we receive, the more opportunities we can create for students to engage in hands-on learning and the more students we can include.

The impact of this project extends far beyond a single event. By supporting Comet Science Olympiad, donors are investing in the next generation of scientists and engineers. Our workshops help students gain confidence, spark curiosity and develop technical skills that stay with them throughout their academic journeys. At the same time, our members at UT Dallas grow as mentors and leaders, strengthening the University’s connection with the surrounding community and showcasing the spirit of service and collaboration that defines the Comet community.