SUN HERALD

February 10, 2008

By Leigh Coleman

The J.L Scott Marine Education Center in Ocean Springs hosted the 2008 Hurricane Bowl on Saturday, bringing together 16 teams from 12 high schools across the region.

The competition is a rapid fire question-and-answer competition focusing on the ocean sciences.

Nearly 100 high school students from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi faced off to test their skill in the buzzer-response rounds. 

This is the 10th year the competition has been held at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.

At the end of the day Long Beach High School Team A took first place in the contest.

The team of six will go on to face 24 other regional champions in the 11th annual National Sciences Bowl in Seward, Alaska, Aril 25.

"This event exposes the students to high-level ocean sciences, marine careers, competition and leadership," said Sam Clardy, Hurricane Bowl regional coordinator.

Those students who were eliminated from the final rounds were taken on pontoon-boat tours on the bayou and marsh areas. Others toured specimen museums and reptile programs on the campus.

"Being in this competition and winning it allows us to prove that Mississippi actually excels in academics," said Kasey Schultz, a member of Long Beach High School Team A.

This toumament shows that younger members of society are interested about the ocean and its inhabitants," said Brandon Atwell, another Long Beach team member.

Those students interested in a coastal science career can register now for the CSI: Coastal Sdences Investigation Camp. The five-day camps will be held at the Gulf Coast Research Lab in June and July for students age 15 throughh 18. Call Michael Carley, lead investigator, at 818-8884 or 818-8890.

Standings

1st place: Long Beach High School Team A

2nd place: Navarre High

3rd place: Niceville High

4th place: OkaloosaWalton College Collegiate High

5th place: Long Beach High School Team B

Sportsmanship Award: Navarre High