Headed to national Science Bowl competition
By Dyuce Woodson
April 12, 2023 – Meyzeek Middle School eighth grader Samuel K. had an idea.
“A lot of my peers were really interested in science but there weren’t a lot of competitions that were focused on the STEM areas,” Samuel said.
While Meyzeek does have a quick recall team, quick recall focuses on a broad range of topics. Samuel wanted something that revolved around science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
So, earlier this year, Samuel decided to start a Science Bowl team.
“I just really wanted to have this opportunity at our school because not a lot of middle schools have this opportunity,” Samuel said. “After that, I thought about who would I approach that would be willing to sponsor this and so I went up to (team sponsor Michael) Mennen, because he’s a very capable teacher, and he was like, ‘Yeah, why not.”
One hundred fifty students tried out with 14 making the cut for two teams. Now, in their first year, both Meyzeek teams finished in the top two in regional competition and are headed to Washington D.C. for the National Science Bowl National Final. A program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The students are excited about the opportunity.
“It’s cool to see what you came up with is now going to benefit a lot of students who find their passion in the STEM fields,” Samuel said. “Which is what I feel like is a great legacy to have.”