By Carol Hopper Brill, Virginia Sea Grant Marine Educator at VIMS
For a record fifth year in row, Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School (Virginia Beach) took first place at the annual Blue Crab Bowl, Virginia’s marine and ocean science quiz competition. This year’s Blue Crab Bowl was held at Old Dominion University on March 3. Other placing teams including Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School (Glenns) in second, Seton School (Manassas) in third, and Grafton High School (Yorktown) in fourth.
From here, Virginia’s 2012 Blue Crab Bowl winning team will head to the national competition on April 19-22, in Baltimore, Maryland. This year, due to a scheduling conflict, first place Bishop Sullivan will not be attending, and Virginia will send the runner-up team from Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School (Glenns) to the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB®) competition. NOSB is a program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership in Washington, DC. NOSB seeks to interest students in ocean science as a college major and potential career. The national competition is expected to draw 2,000 students from nearly 400 high schools from around the country and 25 teams, all of whom have participated in and took first place at local competitions.
The Blue Crab Bowl is Virginia’s only ocean and marine science quiz competition for high school students. Using questions designed by marine scientists and educators, the contest tests students’ knowledge of oceanography, geology, biology, maritime history, and policy. The Bowl provides a forum for students who excel in math and science to receive regional and national recognition for their diligence and talent. During Saturday’s event, the competition started with a field of 16 teams, with four emerging as top contenders by late afternoon.
Competing teams included:
Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School – Team A, Virginia Beach
Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School – Team B, Virginia Beach
Broadwater Academy – Exmore
Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School – Bowling Green Campus, Bowling Green
Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School – Glenns Campus, Glenns
Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School – Warsaw Campus, Warsaw
Churchland High School – Portsmouth
Fauquier High School – Warrenton
Governor’s School for Science & Technology – Hampton
Grafton High School – Yorktown
Isle of Wight Academy – Team A, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight Academy – Team B, Isle of Wight
Patrick Henry High School – Team A, Ashland
Patrick Henry High School – Team B, Ashland
Seton School –Team A, Manassas
Seton School –Team B, Manassas
Thanks to Volunteers and Sponsors
In it’s 15th year, the Blue Crab Bowl is a cooperative effort between Old Dominion University’s Department of Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary. In addition to the organizational efforts of Carol Hopper Brill (VIMS, Virginia Sea Grant Marine Extension Program) and Victoria Hill (ODU), the Blue Crab Bowl relied on the time and dedication of more than seventy volunteers, including faculty, staff and graduate students from both institutions, as well scientists from the US Navy and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Blue Crab Bowl wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of national, regional and local sponsors. Among them are: ODU’s Office of University Events; Webb University Center; ODU’s Pretlow Planetarium; the Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Virginia Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program; Leave Only Bubbles/What If Scientific; Hampton Inn-Naval Base Norfolk; Nauticus; the Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association; and the National Marine Educators Association.
