The STEM Yard

In this episode, we have a special guest with us - Pat Weber, the former coach of the Carnage Magnet Middle School Science Olympiad team. Pat is no ordinary coach, as she won the Coach of the Year award in 2017. Her leadership and expertise have led Carnage to numerous State and National Tournaments throughout her successful tenure. Join us as we dive into Pat's incredible journey as a coach...

A special BONUS episode of #TheSTEMYard podcast has just dropped! 🎙️ Join our amazing Alonzo Alexander, as he deep dives into the minds of the Wolfpack Science Olympiad crew, the NC State alumni behind the FIRST ever Division B Invitational in North Carolina! 🏆 Wanna know all the details? Tune in as Nirmiti Nerkar and Janet Cobb share all the tea ☕ Be a part of the game-changing event and score...

Introducing Season 2 of #TheSTEMYard, where we dive deep into the fascinating world of Science Olympiad and beyond! Join us as host Alonzo Alexander sits down with the phenomenal Jayne Carlisle, our NEW Program Coordinator! In this episode, Jayne spills the beans about her passion for Science Olympiad and shares her vision for the program. Plus, she dishes out some seriously valuable tips you won&...

The STEM Yard is back with a bang! Join us for an exciting Division A Launch Party, hosted by the one and only Alonzo Alexander. This is a great episode to listen to with your team. It's interactive and students can guess, along side Alonzo, as NCSO Director Lisa Giacomelli unveils new events using clues.  Our brand new events will push your scientific knowledge and skills to the next level....

In this week's episode of The STEM Yard, host Alonzo Alexander is back for part two of our LIVE coverage from the 2023 Science Olympiad National Tournament at Wichita State University. Alonzo chats with three teams; Seven Lakes High School from Katy, Texas, Enloe Magnet High School from Raleigh, NC and Carmel High school from Carmel, Indiana.  Teams discuss what it's like competing at an...

In this week's episode of The STEM Yard, host Alonzo Alexander is LIVE from the 2023 Science Olympiad National Tournament at Wichita State University. Alonzo chats with Jenny Kopach, CEO & Senior Vice President of Marketing Communications for Science Olympiad . Jenny shares what Science Olympiad means to her family. what sets the program apart from other STEM competitions and her advice f...

In this special episode of The STEM Yard, Alonzo sits down with Pristine Onuoha, winner of the 2022 Genes in Space student research competition and her AP Biology teacher Kimberly Manning.  Pristine discusses her award-winning research project and the exciting role it will play in better understanding how space travel affects DNA. Kimberly shares her tips for encouraging students like Pristine to...

In this week's episode of The STEM Yard host Alonzo Alexander chats with Jill Fisher, Director of Kansas Science Olympiad and Dean Andrew Hippisley of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wichita State University . Fairmont College of Liberal Arts is the sponsor and host of the Kansas Science Olympiad program and upcoming National Science Olympiad Tournament. Alonzo, Jill and...

In this week's episode of The STEM Yard we are LIVE from the 2023 NC Science Olympiad State Tournament. Alonzo chats with event leaders and volunteers from the floor of Reynolds Coliseum. He also got a chance to sit down and interview the Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences and Holly Springs High School teams. A special thank you to the 2023 State Tournament Sponsors: Platinum level prese...

In this week's episode of The STEM Yard, Alonzo chats with NC Science Olympiad Director Lisa Giacomelli about the upcoming 2023 State Tournament on NC State's campus on April 21-22nd. Alonzo and Lisa discuss state tournament plans, ways to get involved and how teams can get into a 90s state of mind for this years 90s Rewind theme.  Post it on the Interwebs Oh snap! You can join us in kic...

In this week's episode of The STEM Yard, Alonzo chats with Karauna Gatimu, Principal Manager of the Customer Advocacy Group at Microsoft and upcoming Keynote Speaker at the 2023 North Carolina Science Olympiad State Tournament. Alonzo and Karauna discuss the importance of having fun in your career, the future of the metaverse and she gives a sneak peek at her upcoming State Tournament Keynote...

The NC State Science Olympiad Alumni Club is an NC State student organization that provides support through test writing, volunteering at tournaments and helping out at local invitationals. The NC State Science Olympiad Alumni Board joined The STEM Yard to discuss their work with Science Olympiad and their plans for the future.  Amit, Amy, Janet, Nirmiti and Safina chat with Alonzo about their exp...

Conen Morgan is a former NC Science Olympiad participant, national judge, regional director, and emcee of NCSOs biggest award ceremonies. Conen has spent the past 30 years championing the Science Olympiad program and giving back to students across the country.  Conen joins The STEM Yard to share his Science Olympiad experience. Conen and Alonzo talk about the value of the Science Olympiad program,...

Ivy Thompson is a new Science Olympiad coach from Hickory Day School in Hickory, North Carolina. Ivy is a former competitor with a passion for advancing STEM education and sharing her love of Science Olympiad with her middle school students.  Ivy joins The STEM Yard to discuss her experience as a former competitor and her journey as a new coach. Ivy and Alonzo talk about the importance of having f...

Kimberly Turk is the Unifour Regional Director and has been involved with Science Olympiad for over 13 years. She started out as a supportive parent and eventually, ended up looped into helping out the Science Olympiad as one of our long standing Regional Directors. Kimberly was awarded the Jason Painter Distinguished Service Award in 2022 by North Carolina Science Olympiad. Kimberly joins The STE...

Did you know that homeschools can compete in NC Science Olympiad? In this week's episode, Alonzo chats with Coach Kristin Russell and teammate Azlyn Raja of DaVinci’s Dragons. DaVinci's Dragons is one of oldest and the largest homeschool team in North Carolina. Kristin and Azlyn share their experience including the challenges and perks of running a homeschool team, how to manage sibling...

Jonathan and Nathan Hiser are brothers and Car Event Leaders for North Carolina. The Hisers' join The STEM Yard to discuss their background with Car events, coping with failure while competing, and the importance of family connections in Science Olympiad.  The STEM Yard 🖱️ Instagram | Facebook | Twitter 📩 Contact Us 💻 Website   📋Sign-up for our newsletter The STEM Yard is a production of T...

John Toebes is the Science Olympiad National Event Leader for Codebusters and State level event leader for North Carolina. John joins The STEM Yard to discuss his background with Codebusters, tips for forming a well-rounded team, the importance of diversity and tricks for decoding faster. In the second half of the episode, John answers listener-submitted questions that cover a wide variety of even...

In our new series, we are delving into Teams on the Rise. What does that mean exactly? In North Carolina Science Olympiad, the competition for the top two spots at the State Tournament is fierce. Teams on the rise refers to the teams building momentum to unseat the top two squads who typically qualify for Nationals.  In this episode, we sat down with Isaac and Misha, Co-presidents of Green Hope Hi...

In our new series, we are delving into Teams on the Rise. What does that mean exactly? In North Carolina Science Olympiad, the competition for the top two spots at the State Tournament is fierce. Teams on the rise refers to the teams building momentum to unseat the top two squads who typically qualify for Nationals.  In this episode, we sat down with Emmaline and Yichen, Co-presidents of the Chape...

In our new series, we are delving into Teams on the Rise. What does that mean exactly? In North Carolina Science Olympiad, the competition for the top two spots at the State Tournament is fierce. Teams on the rise refers to the teams building momentum to unseat the top two squads who typically qualify for Nationals.  In this episode, we sat down with Davis Drive Middle School  Coach Elizabeth Crow...

In our new series, we are delving into Teams on the Rise. What does that mean exactly? In North Carolina Science Olympiad, the competition for the top two spots at the State Tournament is fierce. Teams on the rise refers to the teams building momentum to unseat the top two squads who typically qualify for Nationals.   In this episode, we sat down with Alston Ridge Middle School coach Michelle Gain...

Carolina Science Olympiad Alumni Association is a student club at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill for students who love Science Olympiad. Through their alumni club, Carolina Science Olympiad has fostered a community for passionate STEM students to volunteer at tournaments and provide assistance to local schools. Carolina Science Olympiad is hosting their first fully in person invita...

 Lisa Giacomelli is the new Executive Director of North Carolina Science Olympiad (NCSO). Lisa, a longtime Science Olympiad coach, served as the head science teacher at Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences (WAAS) for nine years. During her tenure at WAAS, she started and developed one of the most competitive Science Olympiad teams in the state and nation.  The STEM Yard 🖱️ Instagram | Facebook...

 In this two part series, Alonzo sits down with the three former Directors of NC Science Olympiad. The interviews cover a wide array of topics including the overall impact of the program, the importance of STEM education, tips for success and much more. In the first episode of the series, Alonzo sits down with Manley Midgett and Dr. Jason Painter.  The STEM Yard 🖱️ Instagram | Facebook | Twitter...