McCracken County High School was named the winner of the West Kentucky Regional Science Bowl, held in February.

This victory earns the five-member team a spot in the national finals and a prize of $1,500 for the school, according to a Feb. 28 news release.

“Congratulations to this year’s winner,” Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) Manager Joel Bradburne said in the release. “This event provides an excellent opportunity for students in our region to participate in a first-class competition. Our Paducah staff and contractors invest numerous hours to deliver a platform that showcases the gifted students in the Paducah community.”

The regional tournament, which is organized and sponsored by PPPO employees and contractors, relies on more than 50 volunteers to serve as moderators, judges, technical advisors and scorekeepers, the release reported. The five-member team will go on to compete in the DOE's National Science Bowl finals, scheduled for April 27-May 1 in Washington, D.C. 

Managed by the DOE's Office of Science, the National Science Bowl finals competition sees more than 14,000 students from all over the country competing each year, according to the release. The event has been running for 32 years, with more than 330,000 students taking part in the competition's history.

“The last three years have been filled with uncertainties and challenges. I’m proud of my team for the time and effort put into this year’s event," McCracken County High School coach Matthew Shelton said in the release. "Without their hard work and determination, our win would not have been possible. A special thanks to DOE for their continued support of this event.”