Calloway County Middle School won the DOE West Kentucky Regional Science Bowl on Friday, an event recognized as the region’s most notable science competition for middle school students.
The five-member Calloway County team from Murray, Kentucky, will now compete in DOE’s National Science Bowl finals, which will be conducted from April 27 to May 1.
Thirteen middle school teams competed during this year’s regional competition, an event celebrating its 15th year. Volunteers conducted extensive training to prepare coaches, volunteers and competitors in advance of the event.
Heath Middle School finished second and Paducah Middle School finished third in the regional competition.
“Every year our students work hard to prepare for this competition. It’s always rewarding to see their persistence and determination pay off with a win like they experienced today. None of this would be possible without the support of the Department of Energy and the many, many volunteers who help coordinate this event,” Calloway County Middle School coach Scott Pile said.
The Science Bowl tournament is a quick-recall, fast-paced, question-and-answer contest. The tournament is designed to quiz students on their knowledge of biology, chemistry, Earth and space, energy, mathematics and physics.
“The commitment of students and coaches to dedicate time outside their normal academic pressures to prepare for this event is amazing,” said Joel Bradburne, manager of the DOE Office of Environmental Management’s (EM) Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO). “It’s our hope that the topics we cover seamlessly align with the current focus on STEM education for students in our region, expanding to new opportunities on a national level.”
The first-place high and middle school teams in the West Kentucky Regional Science Bowl will receive $1,500 for their schools. Each year, more than 14,000 students from across the country compete in the national competition. Since the event began 32 years ago, about 330,000 students have competed.
The event is organized by PPPO employees and contractors. More than 50 volunteers serve as moderators, judges, technical advisors and scorekeepers. DOE’s Office of Science manages the National Science Bowl finals competition.
More information is available here.
Original source can be found here.
