Business, Government Legal News from throughout WVSuncrest Middle wins WV Science Bowl, spot in national finals

Suncrest Middle School in Morgantown won the West Virginia Middle School Science Bowl on Feb. 18, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and West Virginia Congressman David McKinley announced Feb. 21.

The school competed against 16 other teams from across the state in one of the regional competitions of the 22nd annual U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl.

The school's team now is 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.

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.

"Congratulations to the students at Suncrest Middle School — some of America's future leaders in the science, technology, engineering and math fields," said Chu. "Through the National Science Bowl, we're challenging today's students and ensuring that America stays competitive in a rapidly advancing world."

"It's encouraging to see young people so excited to become future leaders in the areas of math, science and engineering," McKinley said. "Their dedication to these subjects will help ensure our country remains a worldwide leader in innovation and creativity."

The Department of Energy 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 in its 21 year history, and it is the nation's largest science competition.

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. 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.  

Students from Suncrest Middle School will be awarded an all-expense-paid trip to the national finals in Washington, D.C., which are scheduled for April 26-30.