NOAA applauds the 21st Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl finalists

NOAA congratulates the educators and students at the twenty-three high schools that advanced to the  21st Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) finals competition in Boulder, Colorado. The finals competition will take place from April 19 – 22, 2018 at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES). CIRES is a partnership of NOAA and the University of Colorado Boulder.

High school students from Marshfield High School (Marshfield, Wisconsin) are Wisconsin’s top ocean and freshwater science knowledge team. They are the Lake Sturgeon Bowl champions and will compete at #NOSB18 finals competition in Boulder, Colorado.

High school students from Marshfield High School (Marshfield, Wisconsin) are Wisconsin’s top ocean and freshwater science knowledge team. They are the Lake Sturgeon Bowl champions and will compete at #NOSB18 finals competition in Boulder, Colorado. (Image credit: National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB))

The NOSB offsite link, a program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership offsite link, enriches science education through a nationally recognized and highly acclaimed academic competition. It serves as an educational forum for high school students to increase their knowledge of the marine sciences, integrating the science disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, and geology. Above all, the NOSB addresses a national gap offsite link in environmental and Earth sciences by generating student interest and excitement about the ocean and providing them an opportunity to examine ocean sciences, both as an in-depth area of study and as a possible career.

The NOSB was created in honor of the International Year of the Ocean. Since its inception in 1998, NOAA has provided support through grants and in-kind support. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of ocean sciences, the NOSB garners support from across NOAA’s five major line offices and the Office of Education. NOAA has provided over $14M in financial support for the NOSB. Just as importantly, NOAA personnel have shared their scientific expertise and career experiences by volunteering at regional and national events. In addition, NOAA Sea Grant College Programs and Cooperative Institutes host regional competitions.

In 2018, over 1,750 students from 231 schools in 32 states competed in 23 regional competitions. Students demonstrated their knowledge of the ocean and its role in Earth system science by exploring this year’s theme, “Our Ocean Shaping Weather.” The competitions focused on the dynamics and interplay among the ocean, weather, and climate, as well as their short- and long-term effects on biological, physical, and social systems.

The following schools won their regional competition and will be competing in the finals:

  • Cordova Junior/Senior High School (Cordova, Alaska)

  • Canyon Crest Academy (San Diego, California)

  • Santa Monica High School (Santa Monica, California)

  • Albany High School (Albany, California)

  • Fort Collins High School (Fort Collins, Colorado)

  • Ledyard High School (Ledyard, Connecticut)

  • Viera High School (Viera, Florida)

  • Eastside High School (Gainesville, Florida)

  • Maui High School (Kahului, Hawaii)

  • Morse High School (Bath, Maine)

  • Montgomery Blair High School (Silver Spring, Maryland) – National Champion

  • Lexington High School (Lexington, Massachusetts)

  • Greenhills School (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

  • Oxford High School (Oxford, Mississippi)

  • Princeton High School (Princeton, New Jersey)

  • Mount Sinai High School (Mount Sinai, New York)

  • North Carolina School of Science and Math (Durham, North Carolina)

  • Centerville High School (Centerville, Ohio)

  • Oregon Coast Aquarium (Newport, Oregon)

  • Wando High School (Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina)

  • Seton School (Manassas, Virginia)

  • Newport High School (Bellevue, Washington)

  • Marshfield High School (Marshfield, Wisconsin)

The final winners and awardees will be announced on Monday, April 23rd 2018.

UPDATED: Tuesday, April 24, 2018 – On Sunday, students from Montgomery Blair High School (Montgomery County, Maryland) won the National Finals of the 21st Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB). It was the school’s first NOSB championship. Learn more at www.nosb.org offsite link.