Wayzata High School Wins 2020 Minnesota Science Bowl:

2019 National Champions Claim State Title for a Third Year

Minnesota Academy of Science • 970 Raymond Ave., Suite 103 • St. Paul, MN 55114 • (651) 917-3994 • mnmas.org •

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[January 25, 2020, St. Paul, MN] Wayzata High School’s unrivaled Science Bowl team will be returning to Washington, DC to defend their 2019 national title this year. Wayzata’s Team 1 did not suffer a single loss as it competed against 34 other teams from 21 Minnesota high schools at Macalester College on Saturday during the Minnesota Academy of Science’s Regional High School Science Bowl.

Wayzata’s winning team - George Cai, Aayush Gupta, Emily Liu, Benjamin Weiner, and Kevin Yang - will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl (April 30 – May 4, 2020). Gupta and Weiner were members of the 2019 National Championship team and will be returning for a second year in a row. “Science Bowl, for me, is very close to a sport,” said Gupta, “There’s a large amount of strategy and decisions to make under pressure.”

This year marks the third year in a row that Wayzata’s top team has won the chance to compete at the national level. Last year, Wayzata High School won the National Science Bowl. “I was thrilled they were recognized for what they accomplished,” said Amanda Laden, Wayzata’s coach.

Second place Minnetonka High School kept Wayzata’s three participating teams from sweeping the competition. Wayzata’s two additional teams came in third and fourth place. See full competition results at mnmas.org.

During Science Bowl, students compete head-to-head in five-person teams to solve technical problems and answer questions in all branches of science and math. The tournament runs in a fast-paced, Q&A format where students race to ring in with their answers first. Each team plays multiple games in a round robin tournament, competing to advance to a double-elimination championship.

Science Bowl competitions offer students who excel in math and science a chance to go beyond classroom learning and strengthen their teamwork skills. “The students on Wayzata teams interact with each other and work as a team rather than individuals,” observed Science Bowl volunteer Ken Latham, “Teamwork is pretty important in science. One person can’t know and have insights into everything. Each person brings their own knowledge and strengths to the table.”

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competitions like Science Bowl also provide recognition and motivation to the next generation of STEM students, opening the door to STEM majors and careers. Participating in Science Bowl and interacting with scientists at the event “fosters interest in science and encourages us to continue studying science,” said Casey Stocking, a student at The Blake School.

Founded in 1873, the Minnesota Academy of Science is a statewide 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering interest in STEM by sponsoring STEM-education programs and events for students in elementary school through college. The Academy sponsors Science Bowl with the help of more than 70 volunteers from local companies such as Seagate Technology, Ecolab, and 3M and with generous support from Macalester College, General Mills, Hardenbergh Foundation, the Minnesota Department of Education, and the United States Department of Energy.

For more information:

Lara Maupin, MAS Interim Executive Director, lmaupin@mnmas.org

Emily Shepard, MAS Communications Coordinator, emilyshepard@mnmas.org

Amanda Laden, Wayzata HS Science Bowl Coach, amanda.laden@wayzataschools.org

MN Academy of Science – mnmas.org

U.S. Dept. of Energy National Science Bowl – https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb/About