The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM), on behalf of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, invites high school educators and their students to participate in the Lake Sturgeon Bowl.
The Lake Sturgeon Bowl is a regional competition of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), and is coordinated by the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences. NOSB is a round robin, double-elimination tournament. It gives students who excel in math and science a place to shine. Students gain national recognition for their hard work and skills. They also expand their knowledge of the oceans and Great Lakes. Read the rules of the competition.
Students in the regional bowl can apply for scholarships from the National Ocean Scholar Program. This program is sponsored by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership.
How does it work?
High schools organize their own teams of five students and a coach. Competition and policy info is on NOSB’s website. Registered coaches will get a resource packet. Teams will also have training sessions.
They hold the regional competition in February with a rapid-fire question-and-answer format. Timed critical thinking exercises will be included in each round, which are team challenge questions.
First-place winners from regional bowls across the country will compete in the national event in April. Both the regional and national bowls award a variety of prizes for teams and coaches.
Who should participate?
Motivated, hard-working high school students (grades 9-12) who seek a challenge in science and mathematics.
How can I volunteer?
The Lake Sturgeon Bowl owes much of its success to the efforts of our wonderful volunteers. Our volunteers serve in many capacities as competition officials, question reviewers, or speakers. Volunteering is a great way to inspire amazing students and be inspired by them.
How do I register a team?
Only 20 teams compete in the Lake Sturgeon Bowl. The first eight teams to register will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The remaining teams will be selected by lottery. There is a non-refundable $100 fee for teams once selected.
Lake Sturgeon Bowl Coaching and Participation Policy
- An official team consists of five players and one coach. Guidelines for student eligibility are found in the rules for national competition. Visit the National Ocean Sciences Bowl web page for more information.
- Each team must have a single designated coach. The coach must be a teacher or official from the team’s school or an employee or official with an education program that is sponsoring a team. The coach serves as the primary and official contact for the team in all communications with the Lake Sturgeon Bowl/National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Coach responsibilities include:
- Preparation and supervision of team members.
- Timely completion of applications and forms.
- Maintenance of high ethical and sportsmanship standards, both in preparation and in competition.
- Compliance with policies of the Lake Sturgeon Bowl/National Ocean Sciences Bowl, and the sponsoring school system or education program.
- Changes in designated coach can be made only with the prior approval of the Lake Sturgeon Bowl coordinator. Any substitute coaches will be expected to meet the same eligibility criteria and carry out the same responsibilities as the original coach. Teams arriving on the day of competition without their designated coach will not be allowed to compete.
- Faculty, staff, and students from the institutions sponsoring the Lake Sturgeon Bowl are not eligible to serve as coaches, but may serve as scientific advisors to teams under the following circumstances:
- Scientific advisors who work with individual teams can have no contact whatsoever with question development and review or with game preparation or practice sessions for officials.
- Scientific advisors are expected to demonstrate the highest ethical standards. Should they inadvertently be exposed to “insider” information of any kind (e.g. overheard discussion of questions, conversations about rules, or comments from officials about their perspective on policies and rulings), they are expected to withdraw as team scientific advisors.
- Scientific advisors may not represent the team in communications with Bowl officials.
- Scientific advisors are not eligible for any awards.
Any exceptions to these policies must be approved in advance by the Lake Sturgeon Bowl coordinator. Failure to adhere to policy may result in immediate disqualification of the team from competition.
Lake Sturgeon Bowl Toolbox
Help prepare your team with the following resources.