East, Lux science bowl teams advance to nationals

Multiple teams from Lincoln Public Schools competed in state-level science bowls recently, with teams from Lux Middle School and Lincoln East High School placing first and advancing to the national competition in Washington, D.C. in April.

Lux won the middle school Nebraska Science Bowl on Feb. 2 at Wayne State College, as well as the Team Civility award, which is given to a team that demonstrates good sportsmanship, composure in team competition and efforts to encourage other teams.

Lux team members are Sankar Ramamurthy, Eswar Ramamurthy, Cole Welstead, Saket Reddy and Zach Jacobsen. They’re coached by Jack Sunderman.

Teams from Lux, Goodrich, Mickle, Moore and Schoo middle schools joined 35 other schools from across the state in the competition. In addition to Lux’s victory, Moore placed third.

East High beat out 23 other teams to win the high school Nebraska Science Bowl on Feb. 9, also at Wayne State College. East’s team consists of Isaac Zhang, Ian Meyer, Andrzej Korlacki, Neeraj Kadubandi Ian Orchard. They’re coached by Brianna Paswaters and Frances Siddoway.

James Blake, LPS K-12 science curriculum specialist, applauded all of the LPS teams who competed.

"As the world changes to new technologies - driverless cars, cures for disease, robotics - we have an ever increasing pace of global innovation driven by advanced technology, which challenges the educational system provide new opportunities,” Blake said. “LPS Science Curriculum and Instruction appreciates events like this that provide talent development for students who have a strong interest in STEM. I am very thankful for the LPS teacher volunteers, the students and the parents that support these competitors.”

Teams consist of four students and an alternate. To answer questions during the competition, students must possess an in-depth knowledge of science and math. Questions come in pairs: toss-up questions and bonus questions. Contestants on both teams have an equal opportunity to answer toss-up questions by pressing a buzzer when they have an answer. No conferring among team members is permitted on toss-up questions. Answering a toss-up question correctly permits that team to then work together to answer a bonus question.

The U.S. Department of Energy covers the cost of qualifying teams traveling to Washington, D.C.


Published: February 14, 2019, Updated: February 14, 2019