Ocean Science Team Dives Deep into Competitive Season

The Ocean Science Team practices for the Shore Bowl. *Photo: Ms. Kimberly Lau*

By ANDREW BODNARCHUK and NICOLAS MITSUDA

Avielle Krendel-Smyslov also contributed to this article.

Do you know what soil pH range terrestrial plants grow best in? The target tissue of the hormone leptin? How about the characteristics of a passive continental margin? While few of us have this highly specific scientific knowledge, the students on the Ocean Science Team have to know these answers at the drop of a hat.

With three virtual competitions and one in-person competition, this year was a little different for the team. The Bay Scallop Bowl, usually a culminating event for the team that takes place at Stony Brook University, was canceled.

A-team Captain Faith Matthew ‘23, said, “Last year we made it to nationals and placed 6th for the first time. We definitely could’ve gone farther this year, but it’s okay because our underclassmen got us.”

So this year, the club, now in its 18th year, focused on preparing for regional New York competitions such as the National Ocean Science Bowl (NOSB) and the NYC Envirothon. The Ocean Science B Team won 3rd place this May at the LOBSTR Bowl, hosted by MIT.

“This year's competition season was insane,” said Matthew, “We actually did four competitions, when we normally do two or three.”

“The kids from the other schools were so smart, and it was honestly pretty nerve-racking to be competing with them,” said Ruth Haddaway ‘24, about her first competition for the team.

This year’s team was special, as most of the current cast started out freshman year, which is younger than usual. This gave the team “a very family-like vibe,” said Ms. Kimberly Lau, the advisor.

In the competitions, two teams of five face off, with their players all ready to buzz in first. A sample question would be: “On your first day on the job as a marine biologist in Orange County, CA, you are asked to perform a light bottle/dark bottle experiment. What might you determine from the data that you collect from this experiment?”

“The questions span anything from ocean chemistry to the lifestyle of marine invertebrates, and that’s our typical competition,” Matthew added. “In late April, we completed NYC’s Envirothon and placed fourth, just below the city's specialized high schools.”

The Envirothon called for the creation of a climate action plan for the city, recognition of bird calls, measurement of trees, and much more.

“The most memorable moment for me this year would have to be the Envirothon,” senior Makzim Semkiv said. “We went to Hudson Park and performed hands-on activities, which are significantly better than online competitions.”

The team is typically broken up into multiple groups so that more students get a chance to participate.

“About ten of the best performers are put on A or B team,” Matthew explained. “The A team is meant to be the best of the best, usually seniors but not always. The B team trains to be next year’s A team, so they’re also really good, if not quite as good as the A team.”

Practices are once a week on Fridays, and close to each competition, they become daily both in-person and remote so team members can get familiar with the play style and rules of the tournament.

Anna Bukhman ‘24 said, “I love the environment Ocean Science creates. This is the type of class where people get really close to each other because of how much we need to work with and rely on others.”

Manuel Lozano-Velez ‘23 said, “Last year, at my house, we held four practices and they were so much fun. It's very cliché to say this but we really are like a family. We're all extremely close and have a lot of fun together. Before practice, we'd just relax and talk about things in our lives and have a snack or a small breakfast.”

“The team meshes well even though they are all different ages,” Ms. Lau said.

Students credit Ms. Lau for creating a fun and warm learning environment, strengthening the bonds of the team even further.

Bukhman said, “Ms. Lau teaches really well, and despite the 100-question exams every now and then, the class is definitely worth it. I also like the Friday buzzers. It's so different from a normal class.”

“I love Ms. Lau; she’s one of my favorite teachers ever,” Matthew said. “She makes difficult topics a breeze. Ocean science is the third class I’ve taken with her as my teacher. She’s the reason I joined the team.”

“There is never a dull moment in that class,” said Anegelina Maiorov ‘25.

“It takes dedication and time to memorize all the facts from types of sediments to the complex structure of a whale's brain,” Haddaway said. “It's such a fun class though, and any future ocean kid is lucky to gain that experience.”