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Date 4-6-06
Contact Linda Skupien (228) 872-4273
Ocean
Springs—A team of students from Niceville (Fla.)
High School took top honors in the regional Ocean Sciences Bowl
at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research
Laboratory (GCRL) Feb. 11. The J.L. Scott Marine Education Center
and Aquarium, now located temporarily at GCRL following Hurricane
Katrina, hosted 13 teams of high school students from Alabama, Florida,
Louisiana and Mississippi.
The central
Gulf Coast competition—the Hurricane Bowl— is a rapid-fire question-and-answer
competition focusing on ocean sciences. The competition is part
of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB® ), a program of the
Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education headquartered
in Washington, D.C.
Niceville High
School will go on to compete against 24 other regional champions
in the ninth annual national event, May 13-15 in Pacific Grove,
Calif. Niceville’s winning team includes students Yahya Mohammed,
Maryam Mohammed, Alex Smailes, Jonathan LeMoel, Jarrod Tredway,
Curtis Rood and coach John Paul Jones.
“I am so proud
of this team. They have worked extremely hard for this competition,”
Jones said.
A long-time
supporter of the Ocean Sciences Bowl, Jones said he hopes his team’s
enthusiasm for the competition will translate into a greater awareness
of the role the ocean plays in regulating the weather, climate and
sustainable life. He also hopes his students will pursue the study
of marine science, ultimately “helping to better address the ocean
challenges that lie ahead.”
Other winners
included second place Poplarville High School, Team B; third place,
Fairhope (Ala.) High School, Team B; fourth place Fairhope, Team
A; and fifth place, Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.) College Collegiate High
School. Winner of the team challenge question award was Okaloosa-Walton.
Poplarville’s Team A won the sportsmanship award.
The regional
and national events include question-and-answer “buzzer” rounds,
team challenge questions, educational field trips and social activities
that encourage interaction among student peers and marine scientists.
For more information on the competition or to view sample quiz questions,
visit www.nosb.org.
Click to enlarge
Members of the winning team accept the first place trophy and awards at the ninth annual regional Ocean Sciences Bowl at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, Miss. From the left, team members are coach John Paul Jones, freshmen Alex Smailes and Jonathan LeMoel, sophomore Curtis "C.J." Rood, senior Yahya Mohammed, and freshman Maryam Mohammed. (Submitted photo)
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