Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology National Science Bowl Champion

WASHINGTON, DC – “The Incompleteness Theorem” was the answer to a question on mathematics that today clinched the 2005 National Science Bowl championship for the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology team from Alexandria, Va.

The team received its championship trophy after triumphing over 62 other regional team champions this weekend. The team members are: Logan Kearsley, Matthew Isakowitz, Sam Lederer, Lisa Marrone, Charlotte Seid and coach Sharon Baker. The team also won a research trip to Alaska, three Computer Based Laboratories and $1,000 for their school’s science department. The team has won the national championship for four consecutive years.

“Continued scientific and engineering progress is critical to solving our nation’s energy and other technological challenges,” Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said. “Young scientists and engineers will help invent our country’s future. After seeing the competing teams’ mastery of such a variety of scientific and technical subjects, I think we are in good hands.”

More than 300 students competed in this weekend’s 15th Annual National Science Bowl. Thirteen thousand students at 1,800 schools participated in 63 regional Science Bowl competitions this year. The Department of Energy created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage high school students to excel in math and science and to pursue careers in these fields. The department supports math and science education to help provide a technically trained and diverse workforce for the agency and the Nation. This year’s corporate sponsors were Bechtel, General Motors, IBM, Texas Instruments and The Fuel Cell Store.

Placing second in the National Science Bowl was the Mission San Jose High School of Fremont, Calif. The team members are: Roger Fu, Dan Gui, Kevin Koai, Eric Tai, George Xu and coach Jim Payette. The team’s prizes include a two-week trip to Australia to attend the International Science School, two Texas Instrument Computer Based Laboratories and $1,000.

The third place team was George Walton Comprehensive High School of Marietta, Ga. The team members are: Ronjon Banerjee, Drago Ilas, Gene Li, Yujing Xue, David Zhang and coaches Joan Dutter and Sharon Pepple. The team’s prizes include attending an environmental research trip in South Carolina, one Computer Based Laboratory and $1,000.

The Miami Palmetto Senior High School of Pinecrest, Fl. placed fourth. The team members are: Benjamin Au, Jason LaRue, Eva Nong, Joseph Perla, Scott Rabin and coach Dr. Susie Kamons.

Placing fifth was Thomas Wootton High School of Rockville, Md. The team members are: Tessa Carducci, David Chen, David Farkas, Bhuvan Govind, Mike Yan and coach Marty Patt.

Winning the Civility Award for best conduct throughout the Science Bowl was the Jamestown High School team from Jamestown, N.D. They won IBM Personal Data Assistants and a trip to the Crow Canyon Archeological Center in Cortez, Colo., for a week-long program in the archeology of the Southwest.

The other teams in the top 16 were:

• Baton Rouge Magnet High School, Baton Rouge, La.
• Brophy College Preparatory, Phoenix, Ariz.
• East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, N.J.
• Mira Loma High School, Sacramento, Calif.
• Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
• Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Mo.
• Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, Calif.
• Smoky Hill High School, Aurora, Colo.
• State College Are High School, State College, Pa.
• Sycamore High School, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Ward Melville High School, East Setauket, N.Y.

The top 16 teams each received $1,000 for their schools’ science departments. The department’s Office of Science administers the National Science Bowl. More information about the Science Bowl is available at http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/nsb/.