FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

St. Paul, MN [February 16, 2022] - Wayzata Central Middle School Team 1 won the 2022 Minnesota Regional Middle School Science Bowl, competing against 13 other teams. The Minnesota Academy of Science (MAS) hosted the virtual event on Saturday, February 12. Wayzata Central’s winning team - Vedant Gupta, Aaratrika Mondal, Kevin Qiu, Pughazh Saravanan and Tanush Thimmasani - will compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl this spring. Wayzata West Middle School Team 1 came in second place and Wayzata Central Middle School Team 2 took third place. See full competition results at mnmas.org/science-bowl-results. 

During Science Bowl, students compete in teams to answer science and math questions. The virtual tournament runs in a fast-paced, synchronous format, where team scores are compared to determine who advances to the next level of competition. This year, students also had the opportunity to participate in a ‘Meet the Scientists’ event to hear from local professionals about their STEM careers.

“Wayzata Central Middle School had three teams competing in this years' Regional Competition. All three teams enjoyed themselves and felt challenged, especially as the level of difficulty increased throughout the rounds. It was a positive experience for all students and there was a lot of new learning in the areas of math, science, and energy,” said Wayzata Central Middle School Science Bowl coach Polly Laugen. “In addition, we all enjoyed the ‘Meet the Scientists’ portion of the day. It was an opportunity for them to see real life applications of science and math! We are looking forward to the National Science Bowl Competition."

Founded in 1873, the Minnesota Academy of Science is a statewide 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by sponsoring STEM-education programs and events for students in elementary school through college. MAS sponsors Science Bowl with the help of over 60 volunteers and with generous support from General Mills, Ecolab, Hardenbergh Foundation, the Minnesota Department of Education, and the United States Department of Energy.