NEWS FROM WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 23, 2013
Contact: Judy Shimek, 406-255-2925, Shimek@wapa.gov
2013 BIG SKY REGIONAL SCIENCE BOWL SET FOR FEB. 2
BILLINGS, Mont.—With the nation’s focus on energy independence and sustainability, it’s important to promote the benefits of science and math among high school youth. Western Area Power Administration is doing just that by hosting the 21th Annual Big Sky Regional Science Bowl—a math and science competition for high school students, Feb. 2nd at the Crown Plaza Hotel, 27 North 27th Street, in Billings, Mont., starting at 8 a.m.
Twenty-eight teams of high school students from throughout Montana, representing 17 different schools, will test their knowledge of science and vie for the coveted first place prize and a free trip in April to the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C. The regional and national events encourage student involvement in math and science, improve awareness of career options in science and technology and provide an avenue of enrichment, reward and recognition for academic science achievement.
Helena High School, winner of the 2012 Big Sky Science Bowl, will be defending its title among other participating schools, including:
This is the 21th year for the Big Sky Regional Science Bowl. We invited the public to watch the competition and support the teams. Admission is free.
Montana Middle School competition Feb. 1
Just a day before the high school students compete, middle school teams from across Montana will challenge each other in the Montana Middle School Science Bowl competition at Crown Plaza Hotel, starting at 9 a.m. Following the Jeopardy-style contest, middle school participants will come back the next day, Feb. 2, to race lithium ion battery model cars they designed and built. The car competition challenges students to use scientific knowledge, creative thinking, experimentation, and teamwork to design and build high-performance model electric vehicles.
Fifteen teams from these schools will be participating:
As with the Big Sky Regional Science Bowl for high school students, the winning middle school team will advance to the National Science Bowl, in Washington DC.
About Science Bowl
Science Bowl is a fast-paced, verbal competition where students answer questions at random from the following subject areas: astronomy, biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, as well as earth and general sciences. Teams range from those that practice rigorously for this year’s event to those fine-tuning their skills for next year. Science Bowl is a proven tool that encourages high school students to excel in math and science and to pursue careers in those fields. By raising the visibility of academic achievement in the sciences, the program has been successful in placing these young people on a par with their peers who excel in athletics.
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MEDIA ADVISORY:
Competition begins at 8 a.m., in a round-robin format, followed by a double-elimination tournament at 1 p.m., with the championship round set for about 4:00 p.m. The awards ceremony will follow immediately. Interviews with competing teams and their coaches will be available throughout the day. Media representatives should check in at the registration desk.
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