Overview

Preliminary Round (Elimination)

• The elimination round will be held on September 18, 2025, at 9:00 AM via Zoom.
• Participants and the coach must be in the same room and join the meeting with one Zoom account, preferably the coaches account. All participants must be visible in the camera.
• There will be an orientation on how to access and use the online quiz platform for the elimination. Questions and clarifications regarding the details discussed will be entertained before the start of the elimination round proper. Hence, no further questions will be entertained at the start of the quiz.
• Participants will receive the link to the online quiz platform through Zoom's comment box, after the orientation.
• The online quiz will consist of 30 multiple-choice questions covering topics in Science, Mathematics, and related subjects. Contestants must complete it within 20 minutes of opening the website.
• Participants can take the elimination quiz until 11:00 a.m. on September 18, 2025 only.

Technical Requirements

• A device with a camera for a zoom set-up, preferably a coach's laptop or desktop: This set-up will ensure that participants do not interact while taking the quiz.
• To identify the participating schools, Zoom name should be changed to [School Name_No. of participants].
• Device for students, preferably a laptop or desktop: Students must ensure that no other items aside from the laptop will be placed on their desk; bags, devices, tumbler, and other personal belongings must be placed at the back portion of the room.
• Conducive room with stable internet connection and a backup internet source in case of erratic connection or sudden disconnection.
  • In case of sudden disconnection in the conduct of the quiz, the coach must immediately inform the STARBOOKS Team via Facebook Messenger about the situation and reconnect in the Zoom room within five (5) minutes. Meanwhile, students are advised to continue answering the quiz. The coach must also ensure that the students will not be engaged in any form of interaction or cheating.

Scoring and Elimination

• The 50 contestants with the highest scores, based on the accumulated points of correct answers, will advance to the semi-final round after verifying the result of the quiz.
• In case of a tie in the scores, the least time taken for the quiz will be the deciding factor.
• A leaderboard will be provided with the names and schools of the semi-finalists, who will receive an official email with details for the semi-final and grand-final rounds.

Semi-Final Round

• The 50 semi-finalists, together with their coaches, will be invited to the face-to-face semi-final round, which will be held on September 26, 2025, 8:00 AM - 12:00 NN (Venue: TBA) during the Regional Science, Technology, Innovation Week celebration in Davao City. DOST-STII will cover the accommodation expenses for students and coaches from September 25-26, 2025, and food during the competition on September 26, 2025.
• During the competition, the 50 contestants will be positioned in their assigned seats. A series of questions will be asked, and contestants will write their answers on their respective metacards.
  • Note: Any contestation or protest from the contestants or their respective coaches must be addressed before the quiz master proceeds to the next question.
• The contestants will only be given limited time to write their answers on their metacards (i.e., 30s for easy; 60s for average; 90s for difficult).
• The semi-final round consists of 10 questions for every difficulty round with corresponding point: Easy (1 point), Average (3 points), Difficult (5 points).
• At the end of this round, only five (5) contestants with the highest accumulated points will advance to the final round.

Final Round

• The five contestants will use the STARBOOKS Whiz Bee podiums located on the stage.
• Each podium is equipped with a buzzer. Contestants can press the buzzer if they want to answer a question. Only the first person to press the buzzer will have the opportunity to give their answer. If the first person gives an incorrect answer, other players will have the chance to steal after reading question.
• The final round consists of five (5) questions for every difficulty round with corresponding point: Easy (1 point), Average (3 points), Difficult (5 points).
• In case of a tie, there will be five (5) questions reserved for the clincher round still determined with difficulty level to vary point distribution.
• All finalists receive certificates, medals, and prizes
• All finalists will receive certificates, medals, and exciting prizes sponsored by various STARBOOKS partners.

Scope of Review

• The pool of questions will be lifted from the topics under Senior Highs science and math-related subjects, including the STEM Track found on the STARBOOKS online/offline platform. Additionally, there will be some questions about Robotics and Automation.

Summary