KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak’s High School’s Tsunami Bowl participants are back after competing in Seward over the weekend. This year’s event featured a record number of participants: 22 teams with 105 students took part in the 13th annual regional science competition. The Alaska Tsunami Ocean Sciences Bowl tests Alaska high school students on topics related to the study of the ocean. The competition that took place in Seward is part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl.
The Kodiak team members are team captain Bradley Hoyt, Nique de la Fuente, Rachelle Medina, Andrew Raney and Chrissy Jones. The assistant coach is Kodiak High School’s Kevin Lauscher and the coach is Switgard Duesterloh. She’s a marine scientist under contract with the district to bring more ocean science into the schools. Duesterloh said that coaching the Tsunami Bowl team is part of that effort and that she’s very excited about the results.
— (Tsunami Bowl 1 "It went very …winning matches there.")
Unlike other academic competitions, which feature quizzes only, the Tsunami Bowl also scores up to 25 points for a team research paper on a specific topic and up to another 25 points for a presentation of the paper. This year’s assigned topic was "Problems facing Alaska coastal communities as a direct result of a retreating and thinning Arctic ice cap."
Kodiak’s team, also known as, "Weapons of Bass (b’ass) destruction," made its presentation at 8:45 Friday morning. Their research effort was titled, "Effects of Polar Ice Melt on Ocean Chemistry and Kodiak Island’s Economy and Energy Technology." Just as the title suggests, the project was a large undertaking.
— (Tsunami Bowl 2 "I think the … a presentation there.")
The student presentations concluded on Saturday, after which the teams participated in the quiz portion of the competition. Another part of the weekend’s event was a juried student art show which was displayed in the lobby of the Alaska Sealife Center.
Duesterloh said she’s already thinking about the next Tsunami bowl. Some members of the team have also expressed interest in competing next year.
— (Tsunami Bowl 3 "I am already thinking … is on to something.")
The Tsunami Bowl awards ceremony took place Sunday afternoon at Seward High School. Duesterloh thinks Kodiak’s team brought back something that’s ultimately more valuable than a trophy.
— (Tsunami Bowl 4 "Its amazing to … becoming leaders.")
This year the Tsunami Bowl title was claimed for the 11th time by the team from Juneau-Douglas High; they’ll now go on to compete with other regional winners from across the United States.
Duesterloh and the "Weapons of Bass Destruction" are looking ahead to 2011 as the year to unseat the reigning Tsunami Bowl champions.
