HHS Team Competes in National Science Bowl
A team of four exceptional Huntington High School students participated in the National Science Bowl finals in Washington, DC this week, squaring off in one of the toughest academic competitions in the country.
"It was a science event like no other," said teacher Lori Kenny, who heads the high school science research program. Huntington's team consisted of Aron Coroar, Marc Feldman, Brian Gilbert and Jacob Roday. The squad earlier won the Long Island regional championship to claim a spot in the national finals.
Regional competitions featured fierce battles with 9,500 high schools vying for spots in the national finals. In the end, Huntington was one of just 69 high schools in the country to advance to Washington, DC.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition that tests students' knowledge in every area of science. Participants are subjected to a fast paced question-and-answer format not unlike the television game show Jeopardy. Competing teams are comprised of four students and one alternate.
The trip to Washington, DC was intense for the Huntington team members, who flew into the nation's capital before taking a guided night walking tour of the famed monuments lining the mall area.
Several events followed that first evening, including the Division Team Challenge where students had to compete in an inquiry-based physics lab. Huntington finished sixth overall out of nine schools in its division.
Students also attended scientific lectures from the Nobel Laureate, Dr. William Phillips, as well as other leading scientists from around the world. "If this was not enough to satiate the scientific palate, the students were also bought to the Mall of the Americas so that they could acquire more information for the big competition," said Mrs. Kenny, who was joined at the competition by fellow science research teacher Dame Forbes. "The students spent the day researching and brushing up on their knowledge of things ranging from minerals to astronomy to cavemen."
On the fourth day of the trip, the much anticipated academic competition got underway. It featured a round robin style competition during which Huntington topped James Madison Memorial High School from Wisconsin.
"The competition allowed the students to establish new friendships and pursue networking opportunities and it encouraged them to push further in their passion for the sciences," Mrs. Kenny said.
Mrs. Kenny and Mrs. Forbes were able to make important networking contacts during the week, which should help them further develop Huntington High School's research program. The pair left Washington, DC excited about the future and knowing they are more prepared than ever to create another highly competitive team.
"The Department of Energy created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in these fields," according to DOE's website. "More than 225,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl throughout its 22-year history. It is one of the nation's largest science competitions."