Amarillo, Ascension Academy among top schools in Pantex's 30th annual Science Bowl
Local high school teams recently earned some of the top honors during the 30th annual Pantex Regional Science Bowl.
“I keep going back to the Science Bowl because it's very enjoyable to me," said Christopher Taylor, a longtime Science Bowl volunteer and assistant manager with programs and projects in the National Production Office at Pantex. "I love seeing the students light up every time they see a question that they know — you just need to see in their eyes the brightness — that they know the answer.”
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Science Bowl is an academic competition that tests students’ knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics. This year's regional tournaments were held virtually for social distancing and hosted more than 9,000 high school and 5,000 middle school students.
Regionally, middle and high school teams face off in a fast-paced, question-and-answer format, with the winners receiving an all-expense paid trip to the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C.
The middle school tournament was held earlier this month, with Hutchinson Middle School placing with top honors.
The high schools' virtual competition was held Feb. 19. This year's winning high school team is Lubbock High School's Team 1, placing first and receiving $1,000. Amarillo High School's Team 1 placed second, receiving $500, and Ascension Academy's Team 1 won third, receiving $250.
After each preliminary round, volunteers who serve as moderators, judges, timekeepers, and scorekeepers, all voted on which teams reflect the best qualities in the category of sportsmanship. For the Best Sportsmanship award, Caprock High School's Team 1 and Ascension Academy's Team 1 tied, both winning $250.
Pantex Community and Education Outreach Coordinator Darla Fish, who also puts the Science Bowl together for Pantex, said in a news release: “This is the biggest event that we do in the community every year and have for 30 years now. It is so important because we need to be out in our community and show the students in our area how important it is for the various STEM education.”
The Science Bowl, beginning in 1991, was created to encourage students to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and pursue careers in these fields. To date, more than 325,000 students have participated in the competition. In its 30-year partnership with Pantex, almost as many volunteers as students have stepped forward to ensure a successful competition.
In 2021, the Science Bowl finals took place virtually, but this year, hopes are for it to return to normal, according to a news release. Regional winners will be guests at educational seminars and will do some sightseeing around the nation’s capital, prior to the national academic competition, which takes place at the end of April.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Students earn honors in Pantex's 30th annual Regional Science Bowl
