In line with our land grant mission and OSU’s strategic plan, K-12 Outreach is the
Honors College’s answer toelevating and amplifying extensionwhile increasingaccessto students across Oklahoma. Honors is in the service of developing and promoting
diverse educational endeavors, and to reflect this in extension, our K-12 programing
is aimed at fostering curiosity, exploration, and lifelong learning throughout Oklahoma
and beyond. The Honors College’s goal of K-12 Outreach is to provide space, support,
and resources to K-12 programs that occur outside the classroom to ensure students
of all ages and backgrounds can have opportunities to go broader and deeper into their
academic passions through different means. In turn, our K-12 Outreach aims to promote
theIdeal Graduateby providing opportunities for our current Honors students to practice engaged citizenship,
ethical leadership, and personal responsibility by serving K-12 students through intentional
and meaningful outreach programming.
Envirothon
The Envirothon is a competition where teams of high school students cooperate to demonstrate
their knowledge and understanding of environmental science and natural resources.
Through written exams, field exercises, and problem-solving challenges, teams showcase
their expertise in aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, and current
environmental issues. The contest fosters academic learning as well as teamwork, environmental
stewardship, and the practical application of science in real-world scenarios.
A tri-service - U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force - sponsored STEM competition
JSHS promotes original research and experimentation in STEM fields at the high school
level and publicly recognizes students for outstanding achievement. The Honors College
at Oklahoma State University proudly serves as the Regional Director for the Great
Plains area. As Regional Director, the Honors College is responsible for organizing
and hosting the annual symposium where the region's finalists are selected to move
on to the next phase of competition.
"Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem-solving program that engages
students in their learning by allowing their knowledge and ideas to come to life in
an exciting, productive environment."
Committed to interdisciplinary, collaborative, creative problem solving, the Honors
College is proud to host the state and regional Oklahoma Odyssey of the Mind competition.
Honors students not only serve as judges and volunteers but also compete in Division
IV through the honors seminar “HONR 1000: Let’s Get Creative” that interrogates the nature and history of creativity through solving
an OM problem. Students from all majors and disciplines come together to solve a problem
not only using their technical, scientific knowledge but also integrating artistic
elements such as storyline, costumes, acting, etc. The Honors College is extremely
proud to have 6 world champion teams in problems 2,3,4, and 5.
OSSEF is the statewide competition Oklahoma's 7th-12th grade students attend in order
to qualify for nationals.
Honors students have the unique opportunity to enroll in the honors seminar Judging
U: A Practicum in Science fairs. This service-oriented class prepares students to
serve as event staff for two prestigious science competitions.
The Honors College is proud to partner with the Scouts of America for the Merit Badge
Academy, reinforcing our commitment to leadership, service, and lifelong learning.
This collaboration provides Honors students with the opportunity to engage in meaningful
community service, supporting Scouts as they develop critical skills and knowledge
in a structured academic setting. By assisting with event logistics and mentoring
young participants, our students gain hands-on experience in leadership and service—core
values of both the Honors College and the Scouting movement. This partnership fosters
civic engagement, intellectual curiosity, and a spirit of volunteerism, strengthening
connections between our university and the broader community.
Junior Honors Scholars Day is a free field trip opportunity for K-6 classes across Oklahoma, designed to spark
curiosity and exploration through hands-on learning experiences at OSU.
Visiting students follow a specially curated Honors Class Schedule, engaging in interactive activities led by OSU colleges and departments—whether it’s
building robots in an engineering lab, designing dorm rooms in a mixed-reality space, or exploring other
exciting fields. This program aligns with the Honors College’s mission to increase
access to transformative educational experiences while providing Honors students opportunities
for meaningful outreach and engagement. Learn more about how your school or department can get involved here.
