Future scientists, engineers and mathematicians recently put their knowledge to the test during the annual DOE Savannah River Regional Science Bowl Competition, which attracted nine teams from South Carolina and the greater Augusta, Georgia, area.
Office of Environmental Management
March 19, 2024
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This year's winners, Lakeside High School Team 1 from Evans, Georgia, earned an all-expense paid trip to DOE's National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., April 25-29. Pictured from left are coach John Cato, Jerry Fan, Iziq Thomas, Jerry Lu, George Zhou, David Wang and coach David Arrington.
Challenging America’s brightest in one of the most prestigious academic science competitions
AIKEN, S.C. — Future scientists, engineers and mathematicians recently put their knowledge to the test during the annual DOE Savannah River Regional Science Bowl Competition, which attracted nine teams from South Carolina and the greater Augusta, Georgia, area.
Lakeside High School Team 1 of Evans, Georgia, won an all-expense paid trip to DOE’s National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., set for April 25-29. Lakeside High School Team 2 placed second and Dorman High School placed third.
“Students arrived feeling excited and ready to show off their brilliant skills,” said Cindy Hewitt, Education Outreach specialist for EM contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions. “Competing teams work incredibly hard studying, practicing and strategizing each year to win this regional competition and continue on to D.C.”
Read a related EM Update story on how the Savannah River Site and EM's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant recently collaborated to bring the DOE Regional Science Bowl to Southeast New Mexico.
EM Update Feature
Teams faced off in a fast-paced question-and-answer format like the television show “Jeopardy.” Questions cover a range of academic disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, energy and math.
“It’s inspiring to witness the level of intelligence that is displayed in each round of the competition,” Hewitt remarked. “It is the ultimate test of the students’ ability to perform well under pressure.”
Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School team members Amari Robinson, Caroline Moon, Elizabeth Xie and Hanyu Zhou test their buzzers before a round. Teammate Adetutu Adeyemi and coach Jillian Harold are pictured sitting behind the table.
Each team consists of five students and a teacher who serves as coach. After winning the 2023 regional competition, coaches David Arrington and John Cato from Lakeside High School said their teams were thrilled for the chance to protect their winning title.
“Our students are proud to blaze a trail for others interested in science, engineering and math,” said Arrington. “This team has grown and evolved since middle school and enjoys every minute of competing together and showing what they are capable of.”
Cato said the competition teaches students how to make mistakes and bounce back by rallying together.
“As we gear up for nationals, I hope my team can look back on this experience and see the friendship and support they’ve gained from the extra hours and effort put into this program,” he said.
Savannah River Site (SRS) has participated annually at the regional level since DOE created the National Science Bowl in 1991. This year’s SRS-sponsored regional contest involved 64 students from nine high schools and is the only academic competition of its kind.
“Our performance was a testimony of the work we’ve put in all year to build our team from scratch,” said Amari Robinson, an 11th grade student from Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School. “We went from practicing in a controlled and calm environment to a high-pressure competition that required us to ‘buzz in’ within seconds. It was the most nerve-wracking and rewarding experience.”
Savannah River Mission Completion Engineering Recruiter Connie Yung, right, shares the rules of the competition before a match.
Volunteers from multiple SRS contractors work as judges, scorekeepers, moderators and timekeepers during the regional tournament each year.
“For over 10 years, I’ve volunteered and supported this competition as a moderator,” said Connie Yung, engineering recruiter for EM liquid waste contractor Savannah River Mission Completion. “I hope I can inspire at least one student here to pursue a career in STEM just like they inspire me with their energy and intensity. Witnessing students less than half my age answer some of these difficult questions is what brings me back, year after year.”
To reach the National Science Bowl, teams from across the United States must win one of 65 regional tournaments. Approximately 344,000 students have squared off in the National Science Bowl finals.
The primary goals of SRS outreach programs are to enhance students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math. These programs use unique site resources to support improvements in Central Savannah River Area education.
Click here for more information about the DOE Savannah River Regional Science Bowl.
-Contributor: Mackenzie McNabb
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