Harvard-Westlake team wins LADWP Science Bowl
A team of students from the Harvard-Westlake School won the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s annual Science Bowl -- displaying science, math and technology knowledge in the “game show style” competition.
It was the school’s first regional title. Last year’s winner, quiz bowl powerhouse North Hollywood High School, fielded a team that came in second place.
The competition took place Saturday, at the water and power utility’s downtown Los Angeles headquarters, according to LADWP spokesman Walter Zeisl. Teams of four competed in round-robin play in the morning, followed by a 16-team double elimination tournament in the afternoon. Current events and energy use were also covered, Zeisl said.
According to a press release issued by the utility, the Harvard-Westlake team members each received a $1,000 scholarship from tournament co-sponsor Hitachi. The group will travel to Washington, D.C., to represent the city of Los Angeles in the U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl from April 24-28.
In past years, Los Angeles winners have gone on to win the national competition four times, and placed in the top five 11 times. This year, 10 teams from California will compete in a field of 70 teams from 40 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Also awarded Saturday: scholarships for teams competing in the Water and Power Community Credit Union Hands-On competition, in which teams had to build and race a small “rocket car,” using balloons, straws and rubber bands, among other materials.
The winner of the hands-on competition was Hamilton High School in West Los Angeles.
Twitter: @LATerynbrown
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