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Threepeat! St. Croix Educational Complex Wins Science Bowl Again

March 8, 2009 — For the third consecutive year, St. Croix Educational Complex High School has been crowned V.I. Regional Science Bowl champions and is headed to Washington, D.C., to compete for the national title and $10,000 for their school.
"It's really tough competition," said Gerald Walters, St. Thomas-St. John District Science Coordinator and Bowl Coordinator. "It's like competing against college students, really. No team from here has made it out of the round robin yet, but this team has potential. This is their third time going, and that's an advantage."
The SCEC Barracudas went undefeated in six rounds of head-to-head competition against five other high schools from the territory, answering questions about biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, general science and mathematics.
The first five rounds took place Sunday afternoon at Wyndham Sugar Bay and the final round and awards ceremony took place around Sunday evening at Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School.
The ceremony featured music from the University of the Virgin Islands Concert Band and guest speakers, including David Schultz, co-inventor of fiber optics.
Schultz recalled his personal story, from flunking algebra in junior high and having his guidance counselors discourage him from pursuing science, to receiving the National Medal of Technology, the highest national award of its kind, from President Bill Clinton.
"The future can be amazing for scientists," Schultz told the students. "And you, too, can revolutionize the world."
The final round of competition had SCEC going against Good Hope High School, and SCEC came out on top by a score of 50 to 40.
"I think students on St. Croix will be happy we kept the trophy on St. Croix," said Keywan Johnson, SCEC senior and Science Bowl captain. "I know the students at the Complex will be thrilled to see us walk in with it."
The U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition launched to encourage high school students to excel in science and math and to pursue careers in those fields. The NSB's high school competition now involves more than 13,000 students. High school and middle school students are quizzed in a fast-paced question-and-answer format in 10-minute rounds. Competing teams are comprised of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach.
Regionally, any school in the territory was eligible to participate in the event. Each matchup consisted of two eight-minute rounds of multiple choice and short-answer tossup questions, followed by a bonus question for teams with correct answers. The competition is in its 12th year in the territory and is sponsored by the Department of Education and the V.I. Water and Power Authority.
Participating schools included:
1st place: St. Croix Educational Complex
Coach: Joann Lewis.
Asst. Coach: Dynell Williams
Students: Keywon Johnson, Elizabeth Tobierre, Marisha Perkins, Ninfa Barnard, Basil Williams Jr.
2nd place: Good Hope School
3rd place: St. Croix Country Day School
4th place: St. Croix Central High
5th place: Ivanna Eudora Kean High
6th place: Charlotte Amalie High School
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