The 2022 Virginia Regional High School Science Bowl winning team was from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and included (l-r) Isaac Lin, Om Duggineni, Samuel Wang, Pratyush Jaishanker, Sunwoo Lee and the coach, JC Woodwell.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, located in Alexandria, Virginia, has won the 2022 Virginia Regional High School Science Bowl Competition
NEWPORT NEWS – This past weekend, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility virtually hosted nine teams as they vied for the Virginia Regional High School Science Bowl champion title. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, took first place and the honor of representing Virginia in the National Science Bowl® Finals competition this spring.
“This is the second year that we have held the event virtually, and we’re proud that we have been able to continue to offer students the opportunity to compete in the regional Science Bowl,” said Steve Gagnon, a Jefferson Lab Science Education staff member and the lead organizer of the event. “We feel that even those teams that don’t win benefit by taking part in the competition. They build camaraderie with their teammates. They learn how to succeed in a team environment. And they seek out additional science and math knowledge beyond what they may be presented in the classroom.”
Members of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology team received a team trophy, individual participant medals, a Virginia Regional Science Bowl banner and $750 to be used toward its STEM programs. Other top-placing teams were also awarded. Chantilly High School in Chantilly, which placed second, earned a team trophy and $500. BASIS Independent McLean in McLean, which placed third, earned a team trophy and $300. Finally, the team from Yorktown High School in Arlington, which placed fourth, earned a team trophy.
The virtual regional events being held in this year’s National Science Bowl feature a unique format. Rather than facing off head-to-head in heated matches, each team had the opportunity to answer 18 toss-up questions per round, with each worth four points. Correct toss-up answers unlocked additional bonus questions, which were worth an additional 10 points when answered correctly. Each team’s total points were tallied and compared to determine the top-placing teams in what are traditionally round robin and elimination rounds.
Each team was comprised of three-five high school students and a teacher who serves as both advisor and coach. Participating teams were quizzed on their knowledge of math and a range of science disciplines, including biology, chemistry, earth science, physics and energy.
As the top-placing team at the Virginia regional competition, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will represent Virginia at the National Science Bowl® finals this spring. There, they will compete against other top teams from across the country. The top team will also represent Virginia at the National Science Bowl® finals, to be held in-person April 28-May 2 in Washington, DC, or virtually May 22.
The National Science Bowl® has been sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science since 1991. Since its inception, approximately 325,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl®. Each year, more than 14,000 students compete. The competition is meant to encourage students to excel in math and science and to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
The DOE’s Office of Science manages the National Science Bowl® and sponsors the finals competition. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
To learn more about DOE's National Science Bowl competition, visit: https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb
For sample sets of questions and answers that have been used in previous competitions, visit: https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb/regional-competitions/resources/HS-Sa…
Contact: Kandice Carter, Jefferson Lab Communications Office, kcarter@jlab.org