SPOKANE, Wash. – For the second straight year, Pullman High School finished first in the March 8 U.S. Department of Energy Spokane Science Bowl on the WSU Spokane campus, handing Shadle Park High School runner-up honors for the second year in a row.
Last year, the two high schools battled in a double-elimination contest that put Pullman over the top to defeat Shadle Park, but this year, it was the championship bracket for Pullman all the way.
The Pullman team will travel to the national competition in Washington, D.C., May 1-5. WSU will award $1,000 scholarships to members of the winning team for use at WSU campuses and provided event T-shirts to all participants.
Science Bowl is an academic competition among teams of students who answer questions from several academic disciplines, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, mathematics, physics and general science. Each team includes four students, one alternate and a teacher or coach. This year, 26 teams competed – up from 12 teams the year before.
Two students repeated their last year’s performance, once again earning “All-Star” honors for answering the most toss-up questions in the first six rounds. LiYang Chen, Pullman team captain, and Dan Suess, Shadle Park team captain, each answered 25 questions, tying them for first place. Jim Chatham of Ferris took second place by answering 20 questions. Avista Corp. sponsored scholarships worth $200 for each first place finisher and $100 for second place.
The Sportsmanship Trophy was awarded to Rogers High School for being the team that most clearly exemplified the highest principles of integrity throughout the competition.
Pullman High School’s first-place team includes LiYang Chen, David Kahn, Chad Tang, Morwan Osman, Andy House and Barbara Harding as coach.
Shadle Park’s runner-up team includes Dan Schultheis, Dan Suess, Laura Zientek, Anna Czoski and Steve Klopsch as coach.
Rogers’ Sportsmanship team includes Nicholas Bailey, Danielle Havens, James Santiago, Sarah Shepherd and Eric Magi as coach.
The DOE created the National Science Bowl to offer students who excel in math and science, and their teachers, a forum to receive national recognition for their talent and hard work. For more information, visit http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/nsb/default.htm. The DOE Richland Operations Office and Office of River Protection are primary sponsors in Washington state.
Teams interested in entering next year’s Spokane Science Bowl can contact Beth Perry at (509) 588-3901 or bperry@owt.com. Those who would like to volunteer for the steering committee or as an event official can contact Julie Wallman, Inland Northwest Technology Education Center, at (509) 444-6832 or juliew@intec-center.org.
Local supporters of the Spokane Science Bowl include WSU and WSU Spokane, platinum level; Itron and Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, silver level; and the Area Health Education Center at WSU Spokane, INTEC, Logan Industries and Columbia Hearing Centers Division of Spokane Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, P.S., bronze level. Avista Corp. sponsored the All-Star Scholarships, and the Spokane Teachers Credit Union sponsored the traveling trophy.
