LADWP 2020 Science Bowl Final Round between (l) Bravo Medical Magnet and (4) North Hollywood High School. North Hollywood won the championship.
LOS ANGELES (February 21, 2023) — More than 160 of the city’s top science students from 19 public, private, parochial and charter high schools in 34 teams will compete at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) Science Bowl on Saturday, March 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the utility’s downtown headquarters, 111 North Hope Street. The public is invited to attend.
The winning team, as the regional champion, will travel to Washington, DC from April 27 to May 1 to represent the city at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science National Science Bowl, where it will compete in a field of 65 teams from more than 40 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
LADWP regional championship teams have among the best records at the National Science Bowl, compared to other regional areas, having won five national titles and placing among the top five teams 15 times. The trip to Washington, D.C. and the events related to the national competition are funded and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science.
The LADWP Science Bowl demonstrates LADWP’s commitment to the city’s youth and the Los Angeles educational community. A proud LADWP tradition, Science Bowl tests students’ reflexes, teamwork skills and knowledge of science, math, technology and related current events in a fun competitive atmosphere following a television game show format.
“One of the main goals of the Science Bowl Program is to encourage students from all backgrounds and parts of the city to pursue studies and careers in the STEM fields – math, science, IT, and especially engineering,” said LADWP General Manager Martin Adams. “As they enter the workforce, we hope that some Science Bowl competitors in future years will seek employment with LADWP and the city of Los Angeles. Hiring employees with strong technical skills is essential to our success.”
Each year a different theme is chosen for the LADWP Science Bowl that highlights an important, science, technological innovation or individual. The theme in 2022 was recognizing teachers. This year the theme is “Science Sparks Imagination.”
At this year’s competition, students will vie for $25,000 in science awards which include college scholarships and prizes for their schools. First place team members will each receive the $1,000 Hitachi Scholarship as well as $3,000 for their school. The first-place school trophy is named for the late science bowl volunteer and water quality regulatory affairs manager Melinda Rho who passed away in spring 2019. The Science Judge Chair will be named for the late Chief Science Judge Timothy Hemming who passed away last year.
Some teams will compete in the Water and Power Community Credit Union Hands-On Competition.
Since its inception in 1991, more than 330,000 middle and high school students have competed at regional competitions as part of National Science Bowl program in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This year 9,500 high school students and 5,000 middle school students participate in one of 115 regional tournaments around the nation.
This year, LADWP Science Bowl sponsors include not only LADWP and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, but also the Water and Power Community Credit Union, Hitachi Southern California Regional Community Action Committee, and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
In addition to Science Bowl, other LADWP-sponsored education programs include the Times in Education Program, a new electric vehicle high school science program, a plot program to the Discovery Cube Museum, Adopt-A-School Program, and Electric Safety Lessons for elementary schools. Also live theater plays in schools on water resources and conservation and an in-school water conservation and energy efficiency program are conducted on behalf of LADWP under sponsorships of two non-profit organizations.
LADWP is the largest municipally-owned utility in the nation with more than 1.5 million electric customers and 713,400 water customers. It has provided utility services to residents and businesses in the city of Los Angeles for more than a century. It is only one of a few coordinating regional Science Bowl sponsors that is a utility.
Contact:
Walter Zeisl
Manager of Education Outreach
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
(213) 923-6468
