The Central Texas Science Team (CTST) is dedicated to sparking and nourishing curiosity. Our blog provides a place for team members and coaches to introduce readers to our perspectives and aspirations.
Welcome to our first blog post! My name is Kaya and I’m an 11th grade student on the Central Texas Science Team (CTST). As a competitor, I’ve had the opportunity to delve into a range of topics including Anatomy and Physiology, AP Chemistry Lab, and Astronomy.
In this post I’m going to take you through my vision for the future of teens in science and the CTST mission.
Science is about innovation. For centuries, scientists like Isaac Newton and Marie Curie have contributed to advancing human intelligence by surpassing the boundary of previous knowledge. Evolution is inevitable, yet without ingenuity, it is useless and can even be detrimental to society. For example, the invasive kudzu plant covers huge portions of Tennessee, and without intervention, could spread throughout the southern states. Human success is built upon the ability to adapt to changes and improve. Now, in the age of modern technology, the call for innovation is stronger than ever. The future depends on today’s youth.
Science Olympiad (SciOly) provides an awesome outlet for young scientists to channel curiosity, meet like-minded teens, and explore science and technology. Each year, the National SciOly Committee introduces various competitive events to expose students to overflowing scientific possibility. SciOly’s pivotal academic diversity inspires the next generation of scientists.
On CTST, we work to expand our learning beyond our competition purposes. Coaches and advanced high schoolers lead activities to develop hands-on study and lab skills. Endless academic and alternative resources are also available to our team. Presentations, lecture notes, and online courses are accessible for an array of topics through the Science Olympiad official website and other online schools. Rather than just preparing to compete, we want to acquire as much knowledge as possible.
Because we work outside traditional school structures, we intentionally take the opportunity to develop leadership skills. CTST provides a great opportunity for students to develop youth leadership proficiency while learning. Our high school team is student run by a captain and several committee members. We make team decisions through team members feedback and committee votes. We assign events, manage communication, and contribute to middle school academic activities. CTST gives us a chance to practice real-life decision-making, perfect study habits, explore science, and challenge ourselves through fun competitions.
For science to thrive, modern scientists need to be motivated to take initiative. Our intention for the CTST website and this blog is to create an academic community accessible to ALL homeschoolers that will serve as a portal to spark and nourish curiosity. I’ve used my initiative to get us started. Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is to never stop questioning.” Join us on our mission! What do you want to learn?