Zoe Sermons
Staff Writer
The Science Bowl is more than just a club at ACHS, it is a collaborative team of students that participate in competitions throughout the year. The team is led by two teachers, Tim Anderson and Jatanee Reyes. The two of them work together to give the team guidance and prepare them for competitions. The team has to be knowledgeable about topics from biology to physics in order to perform well in competition. In terms of student leadership, senior Leah Devendorf, is the team captain.
This year the team has broken into two separate groups that will compete at the state level competition. The team is very welcoming and open to anyone who would like to join. A huge range of science knowledge is not necessary to be on the team or participate in the competitions. Members of the club learn new fascinating things about science each practice.
Anderson has a lot of experience when it comes to Science Bowl teams. He explained that he has “been coaching Science Bowl Teams in New Jersey, Maryland, and now ACHS, since 1999.” Anderson has had great success with his teams in the past, he has brought “five State Champion teams to National Competitions.” Anderson and Reyes have been coaching the team at ACHS since 2019, and it is sure to continue for years to come.
At a typical practice, members of the team will split up into two different teams and face off in a scrimmage. Senior, Aaliyah Royster, said that they “answer practice questions and learn about the math/science behind the answers.” The Science Bowl team is a great opportunity for science lovers who want to expand their knowledge. Freshman, Zhi McMillan, said that he has “learned a variety of facts in multiple fields like algebra, geometry, astronomy, physics, biology, etc. Honestly pretty much anything that ends in -ology.” When it comes to the competition side of things, McMillan said, “in the competition, you try to answer various multiple choice or short answer questions in 5 seconds before the other team. All of the questions are science or math based.”
Students who have been on the Science Bowl team for multiple years have the opportunity to improve their skills each and every year. As Anderson has been leading the team since 2019, he said, “It’s always fun to see students build their skills over the years.” Members of the team not only have to be on top of their science facts, they also have to use strategy in the competitions. Anderson explained that competitions “challenge knowledge, strategy, and team interactions.”
The Science Bowl team is not just about science knowledge and competition, it also is a great way to make new friends and connections. Many friendships are made through the science bowl, but McMillan said, “we also connect with our teachers the same way you would connect with any of your teachers at school.” For people interested in all things science, the Science Bowl team is an opportunity to be surrounded by those with similar interests. McMillan explains “it’s easy to make friends in Science Bowl because it’s filled with people that like the same thing you do, science.”
Featured image includes Aaliyah Royster and Tim Anderson.
Featured image by Zoe Sermons
