COOK NEWS-HERALD

March 27, 2008

Alex Jensen to compete in National Ocean Sciences Bowl in Seward, Alaska

Alex Jensen, great-grandson of Gladyce Snell of Cook, will be competing for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) title on April 26 and 27. He is the son of Ron and Kari Jensen of Granton, Wis.

Alex, a sophomore at Marshfield High School in Marshfield, Wis., will travel to Seward, Alaska, with four teammates to attend the event. He had attended nationals last year at Stoney Brook, N.Y., as the only freshman on the team. The Marshfield team has now advanced to the national competition for seven straight years.

The competition is an academic tournament, with a format of rapid-fire questions, in addition to team problemsolving tasks. The questions pertain to the geology, physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography and economics of the oceans and Great Lakes. More than 20 other regional teams from around the country will compete forthe national title. Preparation by the team members has included class-based and independent study over the summer and during the current school year.

The competition is sponsored by many different organizations, including NASA, EPA and NOAA. The all-expense-paid trip to Seward will include the two days of competition, in addition to three days of coastal field excursions. Alex is looking forward to the opportunity to test his knowledge and tour glaciated Alaska.