March 4, 2023
LOS ANGELES — Demonstrating an outstanding understanding of advanced science, math and technology concepts as well as quick reflexes and grace under pressure, North Hollywood High School Team A won the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) Science Bowl XXXI Regional Competition held today in downtown Los Angeles.
Team members from North Hollywood High School Team A each receive the $1,000 Hitachi Scholarship and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC from April 27 to May 1 to represent the City of Los Angeles at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (USDOE) National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C The trip is funded by USDOE Office of Science. The team will compete in a field of 65 high school regional champions from 40 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. A total of eight teams from California will participate.
North Hollywood High School Team A was also awarded the first place Melinda Rho Memorial Trophy named in memory of the late volunteer. Melinda, who passed away in retirement during spring 2019, was involved in all aspects of the Science Bowl for more than 25 years. She served as the LADWP Manager of Regulatory Affairs in the Water Quality Division, ensuring the safety of the city’s water supply. Trophies and monetary awards were also presented to those schools for their teams that placed 2nd to 4th in the LADWP Science Bowl
North Hollywood High School Team B placed second in the competition. Team members were awarded $700 Water and Power Community Credit Union Scholarship. The winner of the third-place trophy was Harvard Westlake High School, while the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies placed fourth.
In addition, some teams participated in the Hands-On Competition demonstrating problem-solving and time management skills Each year teams tackle a different challenge. This year teams were tasked with constructing an operable mechanical claw out of everyday household items such as paper towel tubes, spoons, electrical tape and clothes pins. The teams then received points for moving the items to one of two buckets, one farther away than the other. The items that moved farther away received more points.
In the hands-on competition, Chaminade High School Team A was the recipient of the first place Franklin Lu Hands-On Trophy, presented in memory of the late LADWP engineer and Science Bowl volunteer who helped begin this part of the program. Chaminade Team members also received a $500 scholarship. The second-place scholarship awards were presented to Ramon C. Cortines Visual and Performing Arts High School Team Members. Third and fourth place scholarships were awarded to Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School and Downtown Business High School respectively.
Science Bowl is a proud LADWP tradition and an example of the Department’s commitment to the Los Angeles community. Each year, LADWP Science Bowl tests the region’s sharpest students’ reflexes, teamwork skills and knowledge in a fun competitive atmosphere using a television game show format that involves answering toss-up and bonus questions, buzzers and timed responses.
In addition to LADWP and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, sponsors of this year’s Science Bowl included the Water and Power Community Credit Union, the Hitachi Southern California Community Action Committee, the Water and Power Community Credit Union, and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The event was also made possible through the efforts of more than 100 volunteers, mainly LADWP employees, their families and past Science Bowl participants.
The National Science Bowl is among the nation’s largest science-based academic competitions and the only one sponsored by a federal agency. Since its inception in 1991, more than 330,000 students have participated in the program. This year 9,000 students participated in high school regional competitions and 5,000 in middle school regionals.
In addition to Science Bowl, other LADWP-sponsored education programs include the new electric vehicle lesson program for high school science classes. Los Angeles Times in Education Program, the Adopt-A-School Program, Youth Service Academy, the Environmental Teacher Institute and electric safety lessons and eSMARTkids website 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 also involved in an alliance with other utilities to enhance the pathway of students from school to careers. It also sponsors a series of virtual industry presentations on careers for students on a special contracted Zoom platform.
LADWP is one of only a few utilities in the nation that serves as a coordinating regional Science Bowl sponsor and host. The LADWP is the nation’s largest municipally-owned utility and has provided water and energy services to the residents and businesses in the City of Los Angeles for more than 100 years. LADWP serves 1.5 million electric and 713,000 water customers.
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Contact:
Walter Zeisl, LADWP Manager of Education Outreach
Cell: (213) 367-1342
Science Bowl Central Phone: Saturday, March 4, 2023, 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. (213) 367-1511.
