Lakeside High School-Team 1 of Evans, Georgia, has earned an all-expense paid trip to the DOE National Science Bowl competition in Washington, D.C., from April 27 to May 1.
Office of Environmental Management
February 14, 2023
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AIKEN, S.C. – Lakeside High School-Team 1 of Evans, Georgia, has earned an all-expense paid trip to the DOE National Science Bowl competition in Washington, D.C., from April 27 to May 1.
The team was among the many future scientists, engineers and mathematicians who recently put their knowledge to the test during this year’s DOE Savannah River Site (SRS) Regional Science Bowl Competition, which attracted 19 teams from across South Carolina and the greater Augusta, Georgia area.
Southside High School-Team 1, Greenville, South Carolina, came in second, and third place went to Lakeside High School-Team 2.
During the daylong regional Science Bowl, tension and excitement filled the rooms of the University of South Carolina Aiken facility where competing teams listened carefully to questions, hands ready to “buzz in,” knowing every correct response is a step closer to representing their schools and region on the national stage.
The Science Bowl format is similar to the television show “Jeopardy,” where teams face off during a timed period of fast-paced questions and answers covering a range of academic disciplines, including biology, chemistry, energy, math, physics, and Earth and space science.
DOE Science Bowl teams from Aiken Scholars Academy in Aiken, South Carolina, foreground, and Riverside High School in Greer, South Carolina, practice “buzzing in” to answer questions before another round of competition during the regional competition sponsored by DOE’s Savannah River Site.
The competition tests the students’ abilities to perform quickly and confidently under pressure, according to Kim Mitchell, with the education outreach division at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the SRS managing and operating contractor.
“Practice is essential,” she said. “However, teamwork, along with academic performance, makes a difference as to who succeeds.”
Mitchell also noted that team members depend on the academic strength of each other during the demanding academic contest.
Each Science Bowl team consist of four students, an alternate and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach. This year’s regional contest involved 95 students from 13 high schools and is the only academic competition of its kind that tests students’ knowledge in all areas of science and is sponsored by a federal agency.
SRS is one of only three DOE sites to have participated annually at the regional level since DOE created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in those fields. Approximately 330,000 students have participated in the annual competition.
“This was the first time our school had participated in this event,” said Cody Goldschmidt, a sophomore at Aiken Scholars Academy. “It was a bit nerve-wracking though, especially since we ended up going up against a science school made up of all seniors. But we performed better than I thought we would. It’s a great way to mess with your mind having to answer questions in all areas of science. It’s hard, but a lot of fun.”
Three DOE Science Bowl teams compete during a brain teaser activity to earn prizes for their teachers. Five team members from North Augusta High School in North Augusta, South Carolina, left, strive to win the round while members of Dorman High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina, right, race to defeat them.
Aiken Scholars Academy freshman Joe Powell said he definitely recommends students participate in the Science Bowl over other competitions.
“It was a really good experience in a friendly, family-like atmosphere, unlike most sports,” Powell said.
Volunteers from multiple contractors at SRS and the community work as judges, scorekeepers and timers during the regional tournament each year.
“Volunteers share a common science and math interest in this event. That interest may strengthen a student’s STEM identity supporting a technical career path in college,” said Mitchell. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.
SRS provides a variety of science and literacy outreach programs to reach tens of thousands of students each year.
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