SCALACS

The Southern California Section of the American Chemical Society has been offering the Chemistry Olympiad since 1917, at which time Nordhoff High School was the top scoring school. In 2008, the Section won a National award for 25 years of continuous support of the Chemistry Olympiad.

The Chemistry Olympiad is a way for the Section to locate and recognize high achieving students and mentor them in chemistry. Each year, we offer the test at over 20 high school campuses all over Los Angeles County. The test is designed to test a student’s knowledge of a wide variety of topics in chemistry. The top scorers on the local exam are nominated to compete in the National Exam. The top 20 national winners are invited to attend an all expense paid two-week study camp at the U. S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The top four finalists are then selected to represent the United States at the International Chemistry Olympiad which is held in a different country each year. We recognize the top local students at an Educational Awards Banquet in early June with monetary awards and certificates.

There is an $8 participation fee to enter the contest. We offer an “Early Bird Special” of $6 per student for 10 or more students if you return the participation form and fee before February 5th.

To download a letter with the Olympiad dates and other pertinent details, as well as a participation form, please follow this link.