Using competition to promote math and science in students | Environment

The U.S. Government is using competition to get America's youth interested in math and science.

Several middle school students from around our area are participating in a regional competition for the 23rd Annual National Science Bowl, put on by the Department of Energy.

In the regional competitions, teams of four are asked "tough mathematical problems and tested on their knowledge of a vast number of areas including astronomy, biology, Earth science and physics."

Middle school students from Centennial, Chase, All Saints, Kettle Falls, Creston, Lincoln and Moscow will all be part of the competition.

For the past 23 years, more than 225,000 students have participated in what has become one of the nation's largest science competitions. For 2013, about 9,500 more high school students and 4,500 middle school students are expected to participate.

“For over twenty years, DOE’s National Science Bowl has sharpened the math and science skills of America’s young people and provided a fun, exciting path for students to excel at learning,” Patricia M. Dehmer with the DOE’s Office of Science said.  “More than ever today our nation needs a skilled science and technology workforce to remain prosperous and competitive in the world. The National Science Bowl is nurturing and inspiring the scientists and engineers of America’s future.”

The winner of the regional competition will receive a fully paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the Office of Science’s National Science Bowl in late April.