Students across all four RCSA campuses are involved in academic teams including Science and Math Olympiad. Students combine academic skills with the spirit of teamwork, leadership and competition. Students participate in all day events across the state throughout the year. Individual students and teams have received many awards in these competitions, and RCSA is proud to hold a strong legacy in both events, including winning the Science Olympiad State Championship.

Students in teams of up to 35 4-8 graders compete in math problem solving contests. The goal of the program is to stimulate a love for mathematics, introduce important concepts and strategies and foster mathematical creativity in problem solving. RCSA students compete in Mathletics and Mathcounts competitions at the local, state and national level throughout the year.

Science Olympiad is a national program in which students learn science through active, hands-on participation with an emphasis on problem solving and team building skills. Students from different schools compete in events designed to be fun, exciting and challenging. Some events require knowledge of science facts and concepts while others rely on scientific processes, skills and applications so students with varying skills can participate. Science Olympiad also brings team spirit and practice in good sportsmanship.

15 students compete on a team responsible for 23 events. New students usually start with two events, while veteran competitors cover four or five. RCSA competes at the regional and state level and has taken home numerous gold, silver and bronze medals at all levels. RCSA competed at the national level after winning the state championship in 2018.

River City Science Academy competes year round in FIRST Robotics Competitions, starting in elementary school and going all the way up to high school.
The mission of FIRST® is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips teachers and students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The SeaPerch Program provides students with the opportunity to learn about robotics, engineering, science, and mathematics (STEM) while building an underwater ROV as part of a science and engineering technology curriculum. Throughout the project, students will learn engineering concepts, problem solving, teamwork, and technical applications. Building a SeaPerch ROV teaches basic skills in ship and submarine design and encourages students to explore naval architecture and marine and ocean engineering principles. Students learn important engineering and design skills and are exposed to all the exciting careers that are possible in naval architecture and naval, ocean, and marine engineering.

SeaPerch includes a series of competitions held at the local, regional, and international levels. The annual International SeaPerch Challenge is an invitation-only event that includes teams who excel at regional competitions and earn a slot to compete at this event. Our Mandarin campus made history in 2019 when they won the state competition and went on to compete at the international level.

We are proud to participate in the Academic WorldQuest every year at our Middle-High school. Academic WorldQuest is a Flagship Program of the World Affairs Council network. It is a team game testing competitors' knowledge of international affairs, geography, history and culture. There are currently more than 40 local competitions held around the country and the winners of these local competitions are invited to compete in the National Academic WorldQuest held in Washington, D.C. each spring.