A team of middle school students from Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando won their regional competition for the 2023 National Science Bowl this month and will compete in the NSB National Finals this spring, the U.S. Department of Energy announced. The DOE sponsors the NSB.
This is a major accomplishment for the Central Florida students, especially since this was the first time LHPS participated in the National Science Bowl – a big surprise to see a first time entrant take first place.
“The National Science Bowl is an extraordinary competition that brings together young minds across America through science and technology,” said Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, DOE Office of Science Director, “and I would like to congratulate the Lake Highland middle school team as they advance to the National Finals! Good luck to you – our future scientists, visionaries, and leaders!”
The National Science Bowl (NSB) brings together thousands of middle and high school students from across the country to compete in a fast-paced question-and-answer format where they solve technical problems and answer questions on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth and space sciences, physics, and math.
Twelve middle school teams from the state of Florida competed in a nail-biting buzzer competition at the Regional Science Bowl held this month at the Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa.
First time entrants, Lake Highland Preparatory School team, comprising of Ajay Sawant, Mohid Hassan, Pranav Mahendran, Sreenathan Shakamoori and Quinn Bergethon, won first place by defeating 3-time reigning champions Abraham Lincoln Middle School from Gainesville. The LHPS team will advance to the National Finals, held in Washington, D.C., from April 27th-May 1st.
The top two middle and high school teams will win $5,000 for their schools’ math and science departments. Other schools placing in the top 16 in the National Finals will win $1,000 for their schools’ science departments. But to many, the ultimate prize is simply the prestige of competing in the National Championship.
The NSB annually draws more than 14,000 middle and high school competitors. Since the first competition in 1991, approximately 335,000 students have faced off in the National Science Bowl Finals. The knowledge that former competitors have acquired and, more importantly, the collaborative skills and study habits that they learned along the way have led them to success in a variety of fields. Many have become researchers; others are science and math professors.
The 2023 competitors will follow in the footsteps of previous National Science Bowl contestants and will blaze a trail for students in science, math, and engineering.
Middle and high school student teams come from all across the country: large and small schools, urban and rural settings. Each team is composed of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach. The competition tests the students on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, energy, and math. The Department of Energy Office of Science manages the National Science Bowl® and sponsors the finals competition.
DOE’s 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. For more information, please visit the Office of Science.
UPDATE: Lake Highland Middle School Puts Orlando, Florida on National Science Map
