NOAA celebrates the 20th Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl

UPDATED: April 25, 2017. On Sunday, students from Santa Monica High School (Santa Monica, California) won the National Finals of the 20th Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl. The NOSB places an emphasis on sportsmanship, awarding Kalani High School (Honolulu, Hawaii) the James D. Watkins Sportsmanship Award. Learn more at nosb.org.

This weekend, teens from across the country will gather at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon to compete in the 2017 National Ocean Sciences Bowl® offsite link (NOSB). The competition gives high school students a chance to dive deep into ocean sciences — topics that are rarely covered in high school science classes. These young ocean experts will demonstrate their knowledge of the ocean and explore this year’s theme of "Blue Energy: Powering the Planet with Our Ocean."

Students compete in the 2014 National Ocean Sciences Bowl finals in Seattle, Washington.

Students compete in the 2014 National Ocean Sciences Bowl finals in Seattle, Washington. (Image credit: Katherine Pietrucha/Consortium for Ocean Leadership)

NOAA has supported the NOSB since the program began in 1998. Managed by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership offsite link, the NOSB provides enriched 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, it addresses a national gap offsite link in environmental and earth sciences by generating student interest and excitement about ocean life and physics, providing them an opportunity to examine marine science, 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 and, since its inception, NOAA has provided support through grants and in-kind support. Because of 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. Just as importantly, NOAA personnel have shared their scientific expertise and career experiences and volunteered at regional and national events. This involvement extends to the Sea Grant College Programs and Cooperative Institutes in 12 states, where they are heavily involved in hosting regional competitions.

NOAA staff involvement with the National Ocean Sciences Bowl has also sparked unexpected collaborations. One such example is a ten-year partnership between NOAA Fisheries and Washington, D.C.’s public schools. The NOAA Enrichment in Marine Sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program has engaged 19 teams from inner city schools in the Bowl, including two teams that placed third. NEMO continues to bring together NOAA scientists, teachers, and local partners to provide students in D.C. public schools with mentors and unique opportunities to learn about the ocean sciences.

In 2017, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership’s 20th Annual NOSB regional competitions engaged 1,960 students from 271 schools in 34 states. The following schools won their regional competition and will be competing in the finals this weekend:

  • Mat-Su Career & Tech High School (Alaska)
  • Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts (Arkansas)
  • Mission San Jose High School (California)
  • Santa Monica High School (California)
  • Carlsbad High School (California)
  • Liberty Common High School (California)
  • Ledyard High School (Connecticut)
  • Eastside High School (Florida)
  • Viera High School (Florida)
  • Kalani High School (Hawaii)
  • York High School (Maine)
  • Montgomery Blair High School (Maryland)
  • Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School (Massachusetts)
  • Dexter High School (Michigan)
  • Oxford High School (Mississippi)
  • West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South (New Jersey)
  • Mount Sinai High School (New York)
  • North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (North Carolina)
  • Centerville High School (Ohio)
  • Neah-Kah-Nie High School (Oregon)
  • Wando High School (South Carolina)
  • Louis D. Brandeis High School (Texas)
  • Bishop Sullivan Catholic School (Virginia)
  • Tacoma Science and Math Institute (Washington)
  • Marshfield High School (Wisconsin)

The winners and awardees will be announced on Monday, April 24th, 2017.