LUTZ/ODESSA/KEYSTONE/CITRUS PARK NEWS

 March 5, 2008

Middleton science students heading to Alaska for competition

The Middleton High School Science Club recently earned an all-expense paid trip to the National Ocean Sciences Bowl champi onship in Seward, Alaska in April.

The team, led by captain Andrew McLaury, won the regional Roseate Spoonbill Bowl marine science competition at the USF St. Petersburg College of Marine Science this past Saturday.

Other team members include Andrew McLaury, Ryan Always, Punit Patel, Joey Wolfson, and Brittany Thompson. Science teacher Richard Kronenwetter coaches the team.

The Roseate Spoonbill Bowl consists of round-robin, single-elimination format for teams of high school students. Teams consist of four students plus one alternate and coach.

The format involves a timed competition of multiple-choice or short-answer questions within the broad category of the oceans. Questions are drawn from the scientific and technical disciplines used in studying the oceans (physics, chemistry, geology, atmospheric science, biology, etc.) as well as from topics on the contributions of the oceans to national and international economics, history and culture.