Obama Administration Highlights Importance of Investing in Next Generation of Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Fields
Washington D.C. - Building on President Obama's efforts to help more students excel in math and science and his call for investments in a skilled American workforce, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack announced today that Pleasant Valley High School from Bettendorf, IA, won the Iowa High School Science Bowl on Saturday. Pleasant Valley High School competed against 40 other teams from across the state in one of the nation's regional competitions of the 23rd Annual U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl, and is now eligible to compete in the National Finals in Washington, D.C., at the end of April. The National Science Bowl brings together thousands of middle and high school students from across the country to compete on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, astronomy, and math.
"Congratulations to the students at Pleasant Valley High School for their achievements in science, technology, engineering and math," said Energy Secretary 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."
"Iowa is home to some of the most dedicated and brightest students, and I'm proud that Pleasant Valley High School students have once again demonstrated why Iowa is a leader in innovation," said Congressman Loebsack. "They demonstrated their knowledge of and the value of STEM learning, which will open up doors for them to secure good jobs and help make them our country's future leaders. I want to extend my congratulations to the team from Pleasant Valley High School and wish them luck in the National Science Bowl Finals."
The Department of Energy (DOE) created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in these fields. More than 200,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl throughout its 22 year history, and it is the nation's largest science competition.
Over the next several months, more than 9,000 high school students and 5,000 middle school students will compete in 69 high school and 49 middle school regional Science Bowl tournaments. Students, in teams of four or five, compete in a fast-paced Jeopardy-style format where they solve technical problems and answer questions in all branches of science and math. Most teams are coached by teachers from the students' schools and spend several months preparing for the regional competitions. Many states have one regional or statewide Science Bowl competition, while larger states, such as California and Texas, hold several regional competitions across their states.
Students from Pleasant Valley High School will be awarded an all-expense paid trip to the National Finals in Washington, D.C., which are scheduled for April 25-29, 2013. The regional tournaments, which host 15-50 teams, are sponsored by federal agencies, national laboratories, institutions of education, and non-profit organizations.
DOE's Office of Science manages the competition. More information about these events is available on the National Science Bowl website: http://www.science.energy.gov/
