Ocean Bowl Teams Take First and Second Place at Tournament

Ocean Bowl Club has a lot to celebrate this year. Earlier this week, the club won first and second place at the Great Lakes Regional Ocean Bowl  at the University of Michigan and will now head to the national tournament at Texas A&M University in Galveston, TX. on April 29.

The club studies the oceans, geology, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, technology, marine law and social issues leading up to the regional trivia competition, sponsered by the Cooperative Institute of Limnology and Environmental Research and the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab. Some of this school year's trivia topics focused on the BP oil spill, harmful algal blooms, and renewable marine energy resources.

"That was a first for Dexter,"  DHS science teacher and Ocean Bowl coach Cheryl Wells said, referring to Dexter's A and B teams finishing in the top two spots at the regional tournament.

DHS science teacher Beau Kimmey also coaches the club, which has a total of 15 members including senior Maggie Grundler, who has been involved in Ocean Bowl for three years.

"Being at competition is nerve wracking but exhilerating," she said. "You have to have the utmost amount of focus. One tiny mistake can throw you off and affect the rest of your competition, but you and your team have to be able to move on and work together. All you've got to count on is your knowledge to get you through to the top."

DHS senior Spencer Bussineau enjoys the club and got involved after taking Wells' Oceanography class.

"The competition is a thrill ride," he said. "Everyone knows that the Dexter team is the one to beat. The atmosphere of the entire tournament is very professional, productive and extremely serious. Despite that, the tournament is extremely fun, and has been a pleasure to participate in."

Dexter's first place team is one of 25 regional winners that will compete at the nationals. The team has competed at the national level for the last five years.

Ocean Bowl Club started in 1995 as part of the National Ocean Science Bowl incentive to teach and introduce students national ocean literacy education. For more information about the club, visit the club's Web site.