To qualify for Finals, the 23 competing teams first had to win their regional competitions. In total, more than 350 teams (made up of approximately 1,750 students representing 32 states) participated, adding to the more than 30,000 students who have passed through the ocean sciences competition over the last 21 years.
Students on the Centerville team included: Elizabeth Crump, Olivia Ralston, William Zhang, Maggie Gottschall, and Anita Rhodes. They are coached by Penny Manfredi.
NOSB is an interdisciplinary ocean science education program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, the NOSB tests students’ knowledge of ocean-related topics, including cross-disciplines of biology, chemistry, policy, physics, and geology.
Buzzer-style multiple choice and longer, critical thinking-based questions covered cross-disciplinary ocean science knowledge as well as topics relevant to the theme, “Our Ocean Shaping Weather.”
These included relationships between weather and ocean conditions and currents, technologies used to predict global climate patterns, and challenges in mitigating the impact of severe weather events.
Teams also presented science recommendations on a piece of legislation in the Science Expert Briefing (SEB), a mock congressional hearing that enhances the critical thinking elements of the competition and focuses on real-world skills.