Abraham Lincoln Middle School Takes Top Prize at Florida Regional Middle School Science Bowl

University of Central Florida’s FSEC^® Hosts Competition

By Sherri Shields

Cocoa, Fla. – On Saturday, February 24, Abraham Lincoln Middle School of Gainesville, Fla., won first place at the Florida Regional Competition of the National Middle School Science Bowl®. The competition took place at the University of Central Florida’s Florida Solar Energy Center® (FSEC®) in Cocoa.

Abraham Lincoln Middle School’s Team 1 was among 10 teams from Florida schools who competed in the fast-paced question-and-answer contest in which students answer questions about Earth, physical, life, and general sciences, and math. Each team is made up of four students, a student alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach.

Abraham Lincoln Middle School’s sixth grade science teacher, Paul Busheme, brought two teams to the Florida Regional Middle School Science Bowl. “The kids this year were really, really excited. We had a lot of students who wanted to participate, but because of the two-team limit, we had to go through a process. We had like 50 plus kids trying out for the team,” says Busheme. This was his first time bringing teams to the science bowl.

This is also the first year that American Heritage School’s sixth and eighth grade honors science teacher, Ashley Ventrella, has brought a team to the science bowl, and she’s elated with their performance. “We utilize our lunch daily to work on content and strategy. Their commitment and drive are what motivate me to be their coach and mentor them in competitions. Next year, we’ll have two teams competing,” says Ventrella.

Abraham Lincoln Middle School’s Team 2 placed second and also won the Engineering Challenge, an unofficial event at the science bowl. The challenge was to design the highest tower out of straws. “The challenge kept the teams engaged when it wasn’t their time to participate,” says Guytri Still, former middle school teacher and National Science Bowl mentor. “It was interesting to see how each team tackled the challenge. I’ve seen it time and time again, whether it’s an engineering challenge or the science bowl, teams who work together have the best outcomes,” says Still.

The Abraham Lincoln Middle School Team 1 will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in the National Science Bowl, scheduled for April 28th – May 2, 2024. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science manages the National Science Bowl® and sponsors the NSB finals competition. The Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. FSEC hosts one of 50 regional middle school competitions, and this year’s event was sponsored by JinkoSolar.

Final Results of the Florida regional competition:

• 1st Place in the Academic Portion – Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Team 1 (Gainesville, FL)
• 2nd Place in the Academic Portion – Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Team 2 (Gainesville, FL)
• 3rd Place in the Academic Portion – American Heritage School (Delray Beach, FL)

Photos of the event are available at https://fsec.zenfolio.com/p48736446.

For more information, contact: Susan Schleith, FSEC Program Director,  K-12 Energy Education, susan@fsec.ucf.edu.