U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Colorado Congressman Mike Coffman announced today that Cherry Creek High School, from Greenwood Village, Colorado, won the National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Colorado Regional High School Science Bowl on Saturday. Cherry Creek High School competed against 45 other teams from across the state in one of the nation's first regional competitions of the 22nd Annual U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl, and is now eligible to compete in the National Finals in Washington, D.C., at the end of April. The National Science Bowl brings together thousands of middle and high school students from across the country to compete on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, astronomy, and math.
"Congratulations to the students at Cherry Creek High School- some of America's future leaders in the science, technology, engineering and math fields," said Energy Secretary Chu. "Through the National Science Bowl, we're challenging today's students and ensuring that America stays competitive in a rapidly advancing world."
"The bright students of Colorado's Sixth Congressional District never cease to amaze me, but our community should be particularly proud of these Cherry Creek High School students who won a spot in the final competition of the National Science Bowl," Congressman Coffman said. "I proud of how these students rose to the challenge and I wish them the best of luck when they head to Washington, D.C. to compete."
Over the next several months, more than 9,000 high school students and 4,500 middle school students will compete in 69 high school and 45 middle school regional Science Bowl tournaments. Students, in teams of four or five, compete in a fast-paced Jeopardy-style format where they solve technical problems and answer questions in all branches of science and math. Most teams are coached by teachers from the students' schools and spend several months preparing for the regional competitions. Many states have one regional or statewide Science Bowl competition, while larger states, such as California and Texas, hold several regional competitions across their states.
Cherry Creek High School competed against 45 other teams in Colorado. Students from Cherry Creek High School will be awarded an all-expense paid trip to the National Finals in Washington, D.C., which are scheduled for April 26-30, 2012. The regional tournaments, which host 15-50 teams, are sponsored by federal agencies, national laboratories, institutions of education, and non-profit organizations. More information about these events is available on the National Science Bowl website: http://www.science.energy.gov/nsb/.
The Department of Energy (DOE) created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in these fields. More than 200,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl throughout its 21 year history, and it is the nation's largest science competition. DOE's Office of Science manages the competition.