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Schools

University Park Elementary Takes Home Silver In Science Bowl

Oakcrest nudges out University Park in Prince George's County's 25th annual Science Bowl.

The county’s annual Science Bowl finals ended Tuesday afternoon, with a trio of from University Park Elementary falling just shy of the televised quiz show’s No. 1 title.

Of course, that didn’t stop team captain Olivia Martin, 11, from taking pride in 2nd place. 

“When you do your best, you always feel good,” said Martin, whose team topped Avalon Elementary 295-170 in the semi-finals before ultimately faltering in the finals to Oakcrest Elementary 145-250. “I’m really happy with how we did.”

Before facing University Park, Oakcrest Elementary’s semi-final round resulted in a 335-110 victory over Scotchtown Hills Elementary.

Now in its 25th year, the Science Bowl was hosted by founder Dave Zahren, who didn’t miss a beat lobbing questions at the final four—of 40 teams—at the Bonnie F. Johns Educational Media Center in Landover. One from Tuesday involved research that shows cavities are, it turns out, contagious. 

“Is that really true,” some watching the televised show from a nearby room wondered. It is. And while other questions over cochlear implants and Alfred Nobel, the man who invented dynamite, were no problem for Martin and Co., gastric fistulas and Foucault’s pendulum tripped up the trio.

“I’m a little disappointed,” said Martin’s teammate, Nelson Lotz. Lotz, 11, whose to a Science Bowl championship last month, said he hopes to one day work as a Minoan archeologist. “I guess I was born with liking science.”

Meanwhile, Owen Roy, 11, attributed part of his team’s one and only loss to slow reflexes. “It’s an issue of buzzing (the quiz show’s buzzer button) faster,” he said, brightly adding: “Well, there’s always next year.”
 
University Park Principal Nancy Schickner, who turned up in support of her students, expressed delight at their making it to the finals.

“I’m extremely excited,” she said. “University Park has a history of making it to the finals.”

That’s true, with four championship victories under its belt, according to host Zahren.

Others in attendance included county school board member Peggy Higgins (District 2), as well as several parents and University Park’s Science Bowl coach, Geoff Favero.

Favero, who also teaches at the elementary school, said his team had been preparing for the showdown since last November, studying two-to-three days each week after school.

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“They’ve really volunteered their own time into this,” he said. “They deserve to be here.”

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