GREAT BEND TRIBUNE

March 5, 2008

Five Macksville High School students traveled to the 11th annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl competition at the University of Colorado, Boulder, on Feb. 23.

Seniors Nicole Petty and Sarah Philbern traveled with juniors Micki Crook and Luke Greene and sophomore Tyler Schultz to compete in this regional competition that involved students from Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska. This is the third year that Macksville has competed. The students were chaperoned by science teacher Carrie Newdigger and Superintendent Mike Harvey.

The Colorado Ocean Sciences Bowl is one of 25 regional competitions of the NOSB. The purpose of the Ocean Sciences Bowl is to increase knowledge and promote understanding and awareness of the oceans on the part of high school students, their teachers and parents, as well as to raise the visibility and public understanding of the national investment in ocean-related research.

In addition, the competition recognizes and rewards academic excellence among high school students. Regional winners travel to the national competition held in Seward, Alaska, in April.

The competition is very different from most other academic competitions in that there are three types of questions in the competition: Toss-up, Bonus and Team Challenge. Two of these types of questions are paired in the competition: toss-up and bonus questions. A toss-up question, which may be answered by any member of either team that is playing, must be answered correctly in order for a team to be offered bonus question. The third type of question is the Team Challenge question where the team works together to write their response to the question.

The competition format is 6-minute buzzer round, Team Challenge questions, break, and another 6-minute buzzer round. Question topics cover the biology, physics, geology and chemistry of the oceans as well as related geography, technology, history and current events.

The Macksville team left Macksville on Thursday morning, and after a stop at Castle Rock geological site arrived in Denver safe and sound. The group was entertained at dinner at the Casa Bonita restaurant where puppet shows, cliff divers and unlimited sopapillas are featured.

Friday morning the crew enjoyed a trip to the Ocean Journey aquarium where several students, and Mrs. Newdigger, fed stingrays ... quite an interesting experi ence! The afternoon was filled with a trip to the Denver Zoo. Following a study ses sion involving pizza at the hotel, the students relaxed in the pool and hot tub.

Saturday morning the team was up bright and early to gorgeous mountain view as they prepared for a day of competition. Although the team didn't fare so well in competition, much knowledge was gained. In pool play, the students competed against Boulder High School, Kelly Walsh HS of Casper, Wyo., Smoky Hill HS (Aurora, Colo.), Burke HS (Omaha, Neb.), and Standley Lake HS (Westminster, Colo.).

Much to the dismay of the contestants, the team was beat on the buzzer on the toss-up questions, but often knew the answers, including those to the opposing team's bonus questions.

Sophomore Tyler Schultz remarked, "This was a great trip and I enjoyed studying and learning about aquatic life. The zoo was fun; enjoyed the sea lions." Micki Crook attended the competi tion for the second year and agreed with Schultz. "It was really fun and I learned lot."

The team then relaxed with some shopping and sightseeing, including a dinner with Macksville High School graduate Nicki Kinzie, who attends the University of Colorado, before heading back to Kansas.