Get Involved

How Secondary School Students and their Teachers Can Get Involved in the Ohio JSHS

The Ohio Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) program for young scientists is unique because each year a high school student from Ohio has the opportunity to win more than $17,000 college scholarship and to represent the United States at an international science meeting held in London, England.

For more than 40 years, the U.S. Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Research Office, have supported the efforts to encourage young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. There are over 48 regional symposia held throughout the United States. In Ohio, the Annual JSHS is sponsored by Bowling Green State University and The Northwest Ohio Center of Excellence. Each year one student finalist and four alternates from the Ohio JSHS program are chosen (all expenses paid) to attend the National JSHS. The OJSHS first and second place finalists present their research papers to compete for twelve opportunities to represent the United States at the London International Youth Science Fortnight (LIYSF). Since 1966, over fifty Ohio JSHS finalists have presented papers at the National JSHS. Thirteen of these students subsequently presented their papers at the LIYSF in London, England. Our Ohio and National JSHS finalist in 2000, Ulyana Horodyskyj, (also a finalist in 2001) attended LIYSF the summer of 2000 representing the United States (all expenses covered).

Any Ohio secondary school student, grades 9-12, may enter his or her research paper in the Ohio JSHS by submitting documentation of a personally conducted research study to the Director of the Ohio JSHS by the specific deadline. These papers are screened by professionals in their fields represented by the papers. Finalists are selected and subsequently present their papers at the annual JSHS Symposium. There are no strict guidelines for writing a paper. Some suggestions, however, are posted in our website. We encourage all students to check detailed "Guidelines for Preparation and Presentation of Student Research" by logging on the National JSHS homepage. The research must be original, and must be performed by the high school student. The same paper may also be submitted to other science programs and symposia. A poster session will be available for students to present research work that is still in progress.

Many representatives from colleges, universities, and various industries want to provide experiences for secondary school students to conduct worthwhile scientific research. Many of these students present their research findings at the Ohio JSHS and then go on to the National JSHS. Thirteen National JSHS finalists have come from the Toledo area.

Additional secondary school students (delegates) and their teachers are encouraged to attend the Ohio JSHS to interact with science students who have performed scientific research.

Students:

How to apply to the Ohio regional symposia?

Typically in the fall, directors of the regional symposia invite high schools within their geographic area to nominate student and teacher participants. The invitation and call for papers include specific registration deadlines and guidelines for students who wish to present. Scheduling for the regional symposia varies, beginning as early as September through early April.

Students who have conducted an original research investigation in the sciences, engineering, or mathematics and who wish to present their research at a regional symposium must...

1. Prepare and submit a written report (e.g. abstract and/or paper) according to the regional guidelines; and
2. Be prepared to orally deliver the results of their original research to the symposium.

A judging committee, formed by the regional symposium, reviews the written reports (e.g. abstract and/or paper) and selects students to orally present the results of their research investigation to the regional symposium audience. The judging continues during the oral presentations, and awards finalists are selected.

To request application materials, or to find out how your school may participate, please contact the director of the OJSHS, Emilio Duran (see left navigation).

Teachers/Administrators

Teachers and Administrators who are interested in helping their schools become involved in OJSHS should contact the OJSHS for information on the regional competition. For information on the national competition, teachers may contact the JSHS national office.