FT. PIERCE, FL - Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution and the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) will be co-hosting the second annual Florida regional competition of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB '99), part of a national competition for high schools on topics related to the study of the oceans, February 19-21, 1999.
In the second annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB '99) competition, high school teams throughout the nation will be going head-to-head to test their knowledge of the oceans and how they affect our climate, economic well-being, history, culture and quality of life. Using materials prepared by top researchers and educators in marine sciences, four-member high school teams will compete in eighteen regional competitions conducted around the nation. In the regional competitions, students will answer rapid-fire questions on biology, chemistry, geology, physics, history and economics of the ocean and ocean-related current events. The eighteen regional finalist teams will then travel to Washington DC in April 1999 to compete in the National Ocean Science Bowl finals. It is anticipated that as many as 500 high schools nationwide will participate in the regional competitions.
Masterminded by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (C.O.R.E.) - a Washington DC-based organization representing 53 member institutions that comprise the nucleus of U.S. federal, academic and industrial marine research and education efforts, in partnership with the National Marine Educators Association, The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) was inaugurated last year in honor of the International Year of the Oceans and is patterned after the National Science Bowl.
Grand prize of the 1998 National Ocean Sciences Bowl competition was an all-expenses-paid trip for the winning team and their coach to Lisbon, Portugal to attend EXPO '98. Similar prizes, awards and recognition will be presented to the winners of the 1999 competition.
Specific objectives of this national competition are to broaden awareness and understanding among high school students of the latest scientific research on the oceans being conducted today and of the critical role of the oceans in our daily lives, as well as to expose teachers to the value of using the oceans for cross disciplinary science education and to provide an opportunity for university level oceanographic programs to develop links with pre-college academia.
The Florida Regional Competition, co-hosted by CORE member institutions Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution and the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) will be held in Fort Pierce February 19-21, 1999. The round-robin double-elimination tournament will be conducted at Lincoln Park Academy on Saturday, February 20, 1999, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Each match will comprise of two 8-minute halves with a two-minute break in-between. Up to twenty-five questions and an equal number of bonus questions will be read during each match. Teams with the highest numbers of points at the end of the round robin will advance to the finals. The finals will be held the following day in the auditorium at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution. Twenty-five teams from throughout Florida will compete in the regional competition. Local high schools participating in this event include Lincoln Park Academy, St. Edwards Upper School and Vero Beach High School. First place through fourth place winners of the regional competition will receive scholarship money and other awards and prizes.
"This competition seeks to recognize and reward excellence among high school students interested in ocean studies - hopefully inspiring them to become the next generation of ocean researchers and scientists - and to broaden awareness of the critical
value of ocean research among high school students, educators, parents and the public at large. There is potential to have a significant influence on the career decisions of the students that participate in NOSB," says Susan Hanson, spokesperson for Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, "Harbor Branch is very excited to play a role in that."
NOSB has financial support from the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Oceanographer of the Navy, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and is being conducted with technical assistance from the Department of Energy.
For additional details regarding the competition or how you can become involved as an event sponsor or volunteer, please contact NOSB Florida Regional Coordinator Jennifer Wright at 561-465-2400 or toll-free 800-333-4264, extension 512
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. is a not-for-profit research and education organization dedicated to the exploration of the world's oceans and to the understanding and ecologically sound management of the earth's marine resources.
FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE FLORIDA REGIONAL COMPETITION OF THE NATIONAL OCEAN SCIENCES BOWL (NOSB '99)
Lincoln Park Academy (2 teams) - Fort Pierce, FL
St. Edwards Upper School - Vero Beach, FL
Vero Beach High School - Vero Beach, FL
Edward H. White High School - Jacksonville, FL
Mandarin High School - Jacksonville, FL
Eau Gallie High School (2 teams) - Melbourne, FL
Palm Bay High School - Palm Bay, FL
Cooper City High School (2 teams), Cooper City, FL
Poinciana High School, Kissimmee, FL
Fort Myers High School, Ft. Myers, FL
Jupiter High School, Jupiter, FL
William T. Dwyer Community High School, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Spanish River High School, Boca Raton, FL
Olympic Heights High School, Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton Community High School, Boca Raton, FL
St. Andrews School, Boca Raton, FL
Miramar High School, Miramar, FL
Miami-Jackson Sr. High School, Miami, FL
Hialeah-Miami Lakes Sr. High School, Miami, FL
Mast Academy (2 teams), Miami, FL