An Invitation to Participate
The 16th Annual Alaska Tsunami Bowl is happening February 8–10, 2013.
Dear NOSB Coach / Science Department Chair,
On behalf of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences invites you and your high school students to participate in the 16th Annual Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB).
Regional competitions will be held around the country during February 2013. The Alaska Region NOSB will take place in Seward, February 8–10, 2013. The national competition will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 18–21, 2013.
Intent to Participate forms will be accepted until November 15, 2012. This regional competition is limited to 20 teams, so don't delay. Only one team per school will be accepted, on a first-come, first-served basis, until October 1, 2012. If space is available after October 1, additional teams from schools already accepted can sign up. Teams that are not in the first 20 to sign up will be placed on a waiting list and notified if space becomes available due to teams dropping out. Information will be sent to all those responding to this invitation.
Again this year, the Alaska Region NOSB will consist of two equally weighted parts: a tournament quiz-style academic competition, designed to challenge and recognize the students' knowledge of sciences in the context of the oceans; and a project with written and oral components. The project meets all of the State of Alaska high school English standards, including writing.
The research project topic for the 2013 Tsunami Bowl will be announced after Labor Day. The theme for the 2013 national NOSB competition is “A Window into Freshwater Science.”
The research project is optional. Teams can choose to participate in only the quiz-style competition. But since the project is worth up to half of the total score, teams not doing the project will not be eligible for the UAF tuition waivers, scholarships, or the free trip to the national final competition in April 2013. However, they can participate in all the regional event activities.
Teams consist of 5 high school students: 4 team members plus an alternate. The alternate is optional, but recommended. The coach is usually, but not restricted to, a science or math teacher. A parent may be a coach as well. Home-school and private-school students, as well as science clubs or other student groups, are welcome to participate.
The competition will be held over three days: a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Fundraising will determine prizes. In the past, UAF and UAS have offered tuition waivers to members of the team that wins overall. The Consortium for Ocean Leadership will pay all travel expenses for the Alaska regional winners to attend the NOSB finals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in April and compete against the other regional winners.
NOTE: Teams will be responsible for their own travel costs to the regional competition, as well as some meals while in Seward. Please budget for these expenses.
Three hotel rooms will be provided for each participating team for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Expenses for additional nights, and students or adults in addition to five students and one coach, are the responsibility of the team. Travel assistance funds may be available to help teams cover part of their expenses, but are not guaranteed.
Schools that field a Tsunami Bowl team are eligible to have their art students participate in the NOSB juried art show, “The Ocean Connection” and the “Living on the Ocean Planet” video contest, both of which are optional and do not affect a team’s standing in the Tsunami Bowl.
We are proud to host this challenging academic competition and hope to have your school's participation. If you have any questions, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Phyllis Shoemaker
Coordinator, Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl
Seward Marine Center
PO Box 730
Seward, Alaska 99664
907-224-4312
