NEWS FROM WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 23, 2006
Contact: Dirk Shulund, (406) 247-7402

2006 BIG SKY REGIONAL SCIENCE BOWL SET FOR FEB. 4

BILLINGS, Mont. —On Feb. 4, high school students from across Montana will test their knowledge of the broad subject of science as they participate in the 2006 Big Sky Regional Science Bowl in Billings.

The event featuring 29 teams from 17 schools will be held at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center, 1223 Mullowney Lane, starting at 8 a.m. Admission is free. The public is invited to watch the competition and support their favorite team.

The fast- paced quiz format of the competition will challenge student knowledge of astronomy, biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, current events in the scientific community, computer, earth and general sciences. The winning team of this regional event receives an all-expense paid trip to participate in the National Science Bowl in Washington, DC. This is the 14th year for the Big Sky Regional Science Bowl, sponsored by Western Area Power Administration, other government agencies and business partners in the state.

Participating schools include:

• Absarokee High, Absarokee
• Billings Central Catholic High, Billings
• Billings Skyview High, Billings—three teams
• Billings West High, Billings—two teams
• C.M. Russell High, Great Falls—two teams
• Conrad High, Conrad—two teams
• Custer County High, Miles City—two teams
• Fergus High, Lewistown—two teams
• Fromberg High, Fromberg
• Havre High, Havre—two teams
• Helena High, Helena
• Laurel High, Laurel—three teams
• Manhattan High, Bozeman
• Park High, Livingston—two teams
• Plentywood High in Plentywood
• White Sulphur Springs High, White Sulphur Springs
• Tongue River High, Tongue River, Wyo.—two teams and the only out-of-state competitors in the Big Sky tournament.

The national competition will be held April 27 to May 1, and is sponsored by the Department of Energy and its partners. Details on the National Science Bowl can be found online at http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/nsb/default.htm.

The regional and national events encourage student involvement in math and science activities, improve awareness of career options in science and technology and provide an avenue of enrichment and reward for academic science achievement.

Western, a Department of Energy agency, annually markets and transmits Federal hydropower in 15 western and central states. It hosts regional Science Bowl competitions in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

MEDIA ADVISORY:

Morning competition is in a round-robin format. The teams with the most points will advance to the afternoon double-elimination tournament with the championship round set for about 4 p.m. The awards ceremony will follow immediately. Interviews with competing teams and their coaches will be available throughout the day. Media are asked to check in at the Science Bowl Central desk.

Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than 10,000 megawatts of power from hydroelectric powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 15 western and central states.  It is part of the Department of Energy.

PO Box 281213 Lakewood , CO 80228-2802 · Phone: 720-962-7050 · Toll Free: 1-800-982-4523
Fax: 720-962-7059 · E-mail: CorpComm@wapa.gov· Web site: http://www.wapa.gov

Serving the West with Federal hydropower

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