Regionals

After months of practice, Longfellow’s Science Bowl team assembled online, determined to outperform rivals at the regional competition on March 5.

Longfellow started off strong; our A-team plowed into first place with 520 points in the first three rounds, 4 points ahead of Frost Middle School. In the second round, however, things took a turn for the worse, as Longfellow barely pulled into the top four, just making the cutoff. 

After analyzing their gameplay during a break, the team came back determined, with a plan to focus strongly on bonus questions. With a new approach to the competition, Longfellow moved back up to second just behind the leading team, which secured their position in the regional finals. 

Opposing Longfellow was Cooper Middle School, Longfellow’s rival and strongest competitor. With mounting pressure and the highest of stakes (the final round determines which school qualifies for the National Competitions), the nervous team started off strong. Over the next half an hour, Longfellow dominated the competition, winning a spot in the Nationals. 

Preparation and the Experience

Now preparation continues for the largest competition these members have faced yet, and through analyzing previous work habits, we can see the profuse dedication devoted by Longfellow’s team. Longfellow’s path to victory at regionals wouldn’t be possible without the team members’ hard work and dedication since the club’s start. Team members meet once a week after school on Wednesdays in Mr.Bradford’s room to discuss plans for the week, practice buzzer questions, and play protobowl with friendly competition. 

During buzzer practice, teams respond to questions with their best answers, emulating the circumstances in previous Science Bowl competitions. After playing one or two rounds, the team will research the topics they faltered in during practice. 

Once the first-period bell signals the time is 3:25, team members will gather to form a plan concerning what to study for the week. After formulating a strategy, team members will join a protobowl room and compete once again by answering more science-related questions. 

Past Longfellow Science Bowl members have also helped prepare the team. To get used to answering buzzer questions online, former alumni hold weekly scrimmages and give lessons on a diverse array of topics.

Introduction to Science Bowl

Science Bowl is a fast-paced knowledge game in which middle school students study various fields of science, including physical science, earth and space, energy, and mathematics. Students compete in teams of 5 in a buzzer race to answer questions quickly. However, for the last two years, they have changed the format, allowing teams to answer questions without any opposition.

Where Next 

With the victory at regionals, Longfellow will progress to the National stage; they will be competing against other regional winners in the Semi-National tournament on May 7, 2022. Out of countless competitors, only the top eight teams will compete in the National Championship. Science Bowl team members continue to meet on Wednesdays after school and are practicing rigorously to perform at their best in the upcoming competition.

Longfellow’s History Competing in Science Bowl

This hasn’t been Longfellow’s only successful year; we’ve had quite a prestigious history in Science Bowl. About 15 years ago today, Mr. Bradford began coaching the Longfellow Science Bowl team. Since then, Longfellow has racked up a plethora of victories and accomplishments, placing first on a regional level six times and, in 2012, making it to 2nd in the nation. Having gone to Nationals six times in the last 15 years, Longfellow is no stranger to success. Science Bowl has not only been a great place for students to develop scientific knowledge but also bond and form relationships while competing. Overall, this year and previous years have shown Longfellows high education standards and our dominance in the competition.