La Jolla High students to test marine science knowledge in ‘Grunion Bowl’

Eighteen high school teams, including two from La Jolla High, will compete in the the annual Grunion Bowl regional ocean science competition, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 23 at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.

The five-person teams are tested through quick-answer buzzer questions and thought-provoking team challenge questions. To prepare for the Bowl, the teams were invited to participate in practice scrimmages and tours of Scripps Institution of Oceanography research labs, allowing the team members to meet other students with similar interests, practice their competition skills, and interact with Scripps graduate students.

The winning team of this bowl will compete against 24 other regional champions in the 16th Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, April 18-21.

The Grunion Bowl is part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), which is a program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership based in Washington, D.C. Through this educational forum, the NOSB strives to encourage and support the next generation of marine scientists, policy makers, teachers, explorers, researchers, technicians, environmental advocates and informed citizens, to be stewards of the ocean. Many past NOSB participants have moved on to pursue college degrees and careers in ocean science. In 2013, approximately 2,000 students from more than 300 high schools will participate. For more information, visit www.nosb.org.