WHO? Any Oklahoma student in grades 9-12.

WHAT? Team Oklahoma competes in the National Tournament of Academic Excellence. One team from each state is invited to compete at the NTAE.
Oklahoma has always participated with an all-star team.

WHERE? First round tryouts are held at various locations around the state:
WHEN? OSSM ~ Sunday, October 5 @ 2:00
SEOSU ~ Durant ~ Room 217 Physical Science Building, October 9 @ 4:30
Tulsa ~ TU ~ Wednesday, November 5 @ 4:30
Edmond ~ Tuesday, November 11 @ 4:30 ~ Memorial HS
Haileyville ~ Monday, November 17 @ 4:30
Drummond ~ Wednesday, November 19 @ 4:30
Lawton ~ TBA
The second round, Buzzer Round, will be held at OSSM December 7, 2008
National Tournament of Academic Excellence June 12-16, 2009

WHY? We are looking for the best all-star team we can find. Let your students experience national level questions and one of the national competition formats. The all-star team allows bright, competitive students from
every size school in the state the same opportunity to compete in a national tournament.

How?? First round tryouts look for depth of knowledge and for the student’s ability to self-assess. For the NTAE format it is important that the student not only knows the answer, but recognizes when they aren’t sure or do not know the correct answer. It is not important that the team member know everything about everything! We are looking for the best math student, the best science student, the best social studies student and the best humanities student.
For first round tryouts:
The moderator reads the questions and the student gives a written answer. There are 65 questions on the first round test. 20 5 point questions. 20 ten point questions and 25 15 point questions. Points are awarded for correct answers. Points are deducted for incorrect answers. Each test is given 5 scores. Mathematics, science, social studies, humanities and overall. At the conclusion of all seven first round tryouts scores and rankings are sent to all participants. Invitations are sent to the top 8 students in each of the four core areas and to the top 4 overall students who were not included in any one of the core areas.

The students receiving invitations qualify to attend the second round of tryouts, the Buzzer Round on December 7 at OSSM in OKC. The Buzzer Round invitations will be sent and list of qualifiers posted online on November 28.
At the Buzzer Round students participating in the four core areas will hear 45 questions from only that core area, 15 questions each from the 5 point, 10 point and 15 point difficulty level. The student placing 1st in each of the core areas will be a member of Team Oklahoma. The student placing 2nd in each of the core areas will be eligible to compete in the Wild Card round. The Wild Card round will include the 4 2nd placing students from each core area and the top 4 overall students who were not included in any one of the core areas.

The team will practice once a month until June. Practices are usually held on Sunday afternoons at OSSM in Oklahoma City. Tentative practice dates are January 11, February 22, March 29, April 19, May 17. It is possible that once the team has been selected the practice dates could change to accommodate their schedules.

Now what? Students should register to attend the tryout session of their choice. New this year: Pre-registered students will receive access to an online sample test.
Registration is $5.00 and may be paid by check or purchase order. Registration will be accepted and payment may be made at the tryout session.

Please read the General Information about Team Oklahoma, selected team member responsibilities and the tryouts online. http://oaac.org/general_info.htm

Questions:
e me gnbliss@carnegienet.net or call 580-654-1852 Thanks! gail