2010 Orca Bowl

Washington Regional Ocean Sciences Bowl

ORCA BOWL 2012

Friday Harbor Wins Orca Bowl 2012

After eleven rounds of competition on Saturday, March 3, Friday Harbor High School beat Garfield Team B in the final round and held on to its two-year title as Orca Bowl champion. The school competed against fifteen other teams from around the state in a daylong competition at the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. For the third time, Friday Harbor will compete in the finals at the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, April 19-22 in Baltimore. Each member of the winning Orca Bowl team now qualifies for a partial UW Oceanography Undergraduate Tuition Scholarship upon admittance to the University.

Orca Bowl was honored to have Washington Congressman Jim McDermott speak to the students during the opening ceremony. He helped get the participants fired up about the competition and excited about the opportunities available to them in the ocean sciences.

Congratulations to all of the participants for their dedication to studying the ocean sciences and putting their knowledge to the test at Orca Bowl! Following the competition, prizes and awards were presented to all the teams at the Awards Ceremony and Banquet, sponsored by the Seattle Aquarium and Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence—Ocean Learning Communities.

Each year, students from across the state of Washington come together for a day of friendly competition and exciting enrichment experiences at Orca Bowl, the regional competition of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl®. Interested in learning more? For information on how to register your team next year, please visit information for prospective teams. If you are a new coach and would like to learn more about the competition, please email orcabowl@uw.edu to receive instructions on how to participate.

Overview

Orca Bowl challenges and recognizes high-school students’ knowledge of the world’s oceans. The competition lasts a full day, with teams competing in a round-robin tournament followed by a double elimination for the top teams. Students tackle questions in all areas of marine studies, including ocean-related physics, chemistry, geology, biology, social sciences and technology. Questions are presented in multiple-choice, short-answer and team-challenge formats that require strong problem-solving skills and close cooperation. For more information, see general topics of study.

All Orca Bowl teams receive prizes for participation, with top awards that include UW Oceanography scholarships and shipboard science experiences. The event also provides opportunities for students to meet university and ocean community scientists, faculty, staff and student volunteers. The 2012 winning team will travel, all expenses paid, to the National Ocean Sciences Bowl finals in Baltimore in April.

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl® is a program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. Approximately 2,000 students from more than 400 high schools participate in 25 regional competitions. Through this educational forum, NOSB® encourages and supports the next generation of marine scientists, policy makers, teachers, explorers, technicians, environmental advocates and informed citizens.

How to Get Involved

Form a new team: Orca Bowl teams must consist of five high-school students (four competitors and one alternate) and an adult coach. To determine eligibility, visit the NOSB eligibility rules and resources page.

Become a volunteer or a sponsor: Orca Bowl officials and judges are faculty, researchers, graduate students and staff from the University of Washington and colleague institutions and agencies. More than 80 volunteers and countless sponsors help to make this event the success it is each year. Join us and inspire the next generation of ocean scientists.

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