Colorado High School Wins DOE's National Science Bowl Contest
A team of students from Poudre High School (Fort Collins, Colo.) won the 2007 U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl yesterday, topping 63 other teams that competed in the National Finals, DOE announced. The team -- including Patrick Chaffey, Sam Elder, Winston Gao, Sam Sun, Logan Wright, and coach Jack Lundt -- won a science research trip to Australia. DOE said the clinching answer came on a chemistry question about reaction order and rates.
"I congratulate Poudre High School for their victory in the Department of Energy's National Science Bowl," Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said. "These students displayed an acute knowledge of science and mathematics in many disciplines. It is this level of knowledge, excitement, and teamwork that will keep America at the forefront of innovation.
DOE created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage high school students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in those fields. Placing second this year was the defending champion from 2006, State College Area High School (State College, Pa.), while East Chapel Hill High School (Chapel Hill, N.C.) came in third. The top 16 teams received $1,000 for their schools' science departments.
This year's corporate sponsors were AREVA Inc., Bechtel, General Motors, IBM. and Texas Instruments. On April 28, two teams won in separate competitions of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Model Car Challenge: Edwin O. Smith High School (Storrs, Conn.) and Bridgeport High School (Bridgeport, W.Va.).