Ocean Science Teams Take Both First and Second Places at Bay Scallop Bowl

Fridays in Ocean Science class feature game show-style competition practices. *Photo: Tiffany Tan*

By DIMITRA TSIRIAS and TIFFANY TAN

Congratulations to the Ocean Science teams, who took the top two places in the Bay Scallop Bowl on February 3.

The A-Team placed first, beating Midwood’s B-Team 95-30. The A-Team consists of seniors Owen Sonnenschein and Captain Anna Bukhman, and juniors Christian Gabelman, Angelina Maiorov, and Wan Yin Wu.

“I was really happy that we won,” Sonnenschein said. “I've been in Ocean Science for three years, and it was really satisfying to see all our work pay off.”

“The actual winning moment almost felt unreal,” Bukhman said. “Midwood A and B are from the same place. We learned together, we studied together, and we practiced with each other. Being able to enter the finals together was already monumental because Midwood has never done that.”

The B-Team consists of juniors Wayne Chen, Jackson Scott-Luib, Weiyee Mock, Captain Amaya Williams, and sophomore Daoud Mirza.

“The experience was bittersweet but rewarding,” said Williams. “I felt proud seeing how passionate, humorous, and understanding my members were.”

Mrs. Kimberly Lau, a science teacher and the teams’ head coach, was thrilled with the result.

“I always want [the students] to try their best no matter the outcome,” she said. “They really went above and beyond in preparing and practicing. They deserve all the success that they've earned. The self-motivation they have is incredible, and they work really well with each other.”

The Bay Scallop Bowl took place online from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and players had to keep their cameras and microphones on at all times to ensure there was no cheating.

The tournament was structured round-robin style, meaning that every team had an opportunity to play each other. The top two teams from these matches then moved on to the finals to determine the winner.

Each face-off had two parts. The first was two to five-minute sessions of 6-18 “team challenge questions,” where the entire team worked together on a sheet of more complex questions, usually with diagrams and other visuals. The second section was five rounds of multiple choice questions run buzzer style, with each round lasting seven minutes.

Midwood’s teams faced off against each other twice, including an exhilarating win by the B-Team in the third round of round robin. The A-Team was up by two points with seven seconds left on the clock when B-Team member Scott-Luib interrupted and guessed “Y” without hearing the prompt, and got it right. It wound up being the A-Team’s only loss in the tournament.

“If he hadn’t guessed, we wouldn’t have won that round and advanced to the finals,” said Mock. “It's one of those shocking moments because time was ticking and luck was on our side.”

Scott-Luib said it was “definitely one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.”

Ocean Science is an elective course, but you need to be recommended by your chemistry teacher to get accepted. It combines many disciplines of science, from chemistry to biology to physics to environmental science. The team participates in three competitions: the Bay Scallop Bowl, the National Ocean Science Bowl (NOSB), and the NYC Envirothon.

Preparing for the class and the competitions requires a deep commitment. “The work is definitely challenging,” said Sonnenschein. “I remember my summer before junior year was all outlining the ocean science textbook.”

“The class itself is unlike any other at Midwood,” said Gabelman. “The pace is very fast, and the content is very dense. It’s comparable to two college-level courses.”

“It is so unique because you are constantly gaining knowledge as you go,” said Mock. “This class also has students of all grades, so it’s nice to see all students collaborate and support each other.”

“The study of ocean science is meant to bring awareness to things we don’t see in our everyday lives,” said Mrs. Lau. “Many people don’t realize how ocean science works and how it connects to us.”

On Fridays, the team uses buzzers similar to those on game shows to do in-class practices. The class is separated into two teams of five that go head-to-head trying to see who can out-buzz each other for points. There is also a reader, scorekeeper, and timer to help them practice competition-style.

“These practices are what make us a tightly knit family, and some members definitely get competitive, like Jackson and Daoud,” said Williams. “We like to taunt and joke around with each other, and honestly, it has provided some of the best memories in my experience at Midwood.”

Students credit Mrs. Lau’s devoted time, motivation, and passion for ocean science.

“Mrs. Lau is really the flesh and blood of our team,” Sonnenschein said.

“She sees us as people, and cares about our lives in and out of the classroom,” said Bukhman.

“She is truly the best; she constantly reinforces good sportsmanship, important knowledge, and smart strategy,” said Scott-Luib. “Mrs. Lau is absolutely vital to our success, and without her, we’d be helpless.”

“I could not imagine my high school experience without Ocean Science,” Williams said, “Mrs. Lau is the one who has created a family, and I hope that current and future Midwood students get to experience her remarkableness.”

Throughout the year, the squads have developed a strong camaraderie that has helped keep them performing at an elite level.

“I take pride in seeing younger students engage in ocean science and I hope we get to introduce other Hornets to the beauty of it next year,” Williams said.