Nine teams from South Carolina and Georgia schools recently competed in the annual Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Regional Science Bowl Competition.
Lakeside High School- Team 1 won an all-expense paid trip to the National Science Bowl. This will take place on April 25-29 in Washington, D.C.
Lakeside High School- Team 2 placed second, and Dorman High School placed third.
“Students arrived feeling excited and ready to show off their brilliant skills,” said Cindy Hewitt, education outreach specialist for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions. “Competing teams work incredibly hard studying, practicing, and strategizing each year to win this regional competition and continue to D.C.”
Teams answered questions in a format like “Jeopardy.” Questions covered fields such as biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, energy, and math.
“It’s inspiring to witness the level of intelligence that is displayed in each round of the competition,” Hewitt said. “It is the ultimate test of the students’ ability to perform well under pressure.”
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Teams consisted of five students and a teacher who acts as the coach. Since winning the 2023 regional competition, David Arrington and John Cato, coaches from Lakeside High School, were ecstatic with their teams to protect their winning title.
“Our students are proud to blaze a trail for others interested in science, engineering, and math,” Arrington said. “This team has grown and evolved since middle school and enjoys every minute of competing together and showing what they are capable of.”
“This competition teaches students how to make mistakes and bounce back by rallying together,” Cato said. “As we gear up for nationals, I hope my team can look back on this experience and see the friendship and support they’ve gained from the extra hours and effort put into this program.”
Since DOE created the National Science Bowl in 1991, Savannah River Site is one of three sites to participate annually at the regional level. This year’s contest consisted of 64 students from nine high schools.
“Our performance was a testimony of the work we’ve put in all year to build our team from scratch,” said Amari Robinson, an 11th grade student from Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School. “We went from practicing in a controlled and calm environment to a high-pressure competition that required us to ‘buzz in’ within seconds—it was the most nerve-wracking and rewarding experience.”
Volunteers from the site work as judges, scorekeepers, moderators, and timekeepers in the regional competition every year.
“For over 10 years, I’ve volunteered and supported this competition as a moderator,” said Connie Yung, engineering recruiter for Savannah River Mission Completion. “I hope I can inspire at least one student here to pursue a career in STEM just like they inspire me with their energy and intensity. Witnessing students less than half my age answer some of these difficult questions is what brings me back, year after year.”
Teams must win one out of 65 regional competitions to make it to the National Science Bowl. Around 344,000 students will compete in the finals.
Savannah River Site outreach programs aims to enhance students’ interest in STEM.
The participating schools were: Aiken High School, Augusta Preparatory Day School, A.R. Johnson Magnet School, Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, Dorman High School in Roebuck, S.C., Dutch Fork High School in Irma, S.C., Lakeside High School, Lowcountry Preparatory School in Pawleys Island, S.C. and the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics in Hartsville, S.C.
