The International Chemistry Olympiad is an annual event where countries from throughout the world send their four best high school chemistry students to compete against each other. About 65 countries participate in the competition, which is held in a different country each year - in 2006 it was in Gyeongsan, Korea, and in 2007 in Moscow, Russia. This year the competition will be held in Budapest, Hungary. The selection process begins at the local level. Typically, about twenty-five High Schools from all over Orange County send as many as four students each to compete in the local section exam, which is usually held in March-April. The top eleven scorers on this exam are eligible to advance to the national round of the competition where each student takes a five-hour exam that includes extensive laboratory work. Approximately 900 students across the U.S. advance to this round. Those that score among the top twenty nationally on this test are invited to attend the Olympiad Study Camp at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The top four at the camp will then go on to represent the U.S. at the international competition in July. Last year, the four competitors from the U.S. team ended up with three silver medals and a bronze medal. Over the past twenty years, four county schools (Irvine, Sunny Hills, Troy and Valencia) have had students qualify to attend the study camp at the Air Force Academy. Patricia Widener of Valencia High School attended the camp as the sole representative from the county in 2006 year and again in 2007 she qualified once again. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Double-click on the buttons below for information on how to participate in the Chemistry Olympiad: Click below for directions: