Last week, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and New York Representative Steve Israel announced that Huntington High School had won the regional competition of the 23rd annual Dept. of Energy’s National Science Bowl—the nation’s largest science competition.
Four outstanding students—Brian Gilbert, Aron Coraor, Marc Feldman and Jacob Roday—competed in a fast-paced tournament answering questions and solving problems to test their proficiency in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, energy, mathematics and physics.
“Congratulations to the students at Huntington High School for their achievements in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Chu. “Providing opportunities like the National Science Bowl to challenge today’s students is an essential part of keeping America competitive in a rapidly advancing world.”
"I am pleased to congratulate the Huntington High School Science Bowl Team on their impressive win in the Long Island Regional High School Science Bowl,” said Israel. “It is critical that we equip our students with the tools they need to compete in our increasingly high-tech and science-driven world. Our Huntington High School team has made us proud."
The competition, held on January 26 in Berkner Hall at the Brookhaven National Lab in Upton, involved over 100 students in 20 teams and lasted nearly eight hours. The final tournament was held late in the day after a double elimination series consisting of each divisional winner.
In addition to Huntington, other participating schools included, Bellport, Commack, Comsewogue, Copiague, Levittown Division, Levittown MacArthur, Farmingdale, Garden City, Great Neck South, Harborfields, Kings Park, Mount Sinai, North Shore, Rocky Point, South Side, Townsend Harris-Flushing, Wantagh, Ward Melville and Wheatley.
The Huntington team beat out the Great Neck South team by a narrow margin. Farmingdale High School came in third, and North Shore High School took fourth place.
Huntington High teachers Lori Kenny and Dame Forbes spent months coaching the team prior to the event. “I am so proud of the students and my invaluable colleague Mrs. Forbes because it is with this combination that I believe great things will continue to happen in our science community," said Kenny.
"This is so amazing," Forbes said. "We worked with the kids and I knew they had a chance at winning, but to see it brought to fruition is pure delight. When I realized that we had done it, Mrs. Kenny and I just looked at each other. This is real. For the first time Huntington has a regional Science Bowl title."
In addition to receiving gold medals and Science Bowl t-shirts, the team brought home a trophy and $500 for the science program, courtesy of Brookhaven Science Associates, the sponsor of the event.
The Huntington team also has been awarded an all-expense paid trip to compete in the National Finals in Washington, D.C., scheduled for April 25-29, 2013. Training for the event will include hands-on science activities, rigorous competitions, science seminars and sightseeing.
"We are all obviously very excited to go to Washington, DC for the national competition," Gilbert said.
Since 1991, the US Department of Energy's Office of Science has sponsored the Science Bowl to encourage students to excel in the areas of science and math and to fill the need for skilled professionals in those fields. Over the next several months, Approximately 9,500 high school and 4,500 middle school students will compete in 69 high school and 49 middle school regional Science Bowl tournaments.
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