On Feb. 22, the UHS Science Bowl Team won the 33rd Regional Science Bowl competition at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), earning their third consecutive regional title. The intense competition came down to a high-stakes final match against Troy High School, where the team secured the victory on the last question. Team members include senior Sara Yu, juniors Feodor Yevtushenko and Angelina Yan, and sophomores Timothy Chen and Shloke Kamat. They qualified to represent the region at the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., where they will compete in April against 64 of the top teams in the country.
The team faced challenges during the tournament but remained focused and determined throughout. Despite moments of difficulty, they stayed focused and pushed through, ultimately securing a well-earned victory.
“The key to our success was maintaining momentum by buzzing quickly and answering multiple questions correctly in a row,” Yu said. “This put pressure on the other team. Personally, gaining that confidence boost is crucial, as I tend to hesitate and second-guess myself even when I know the correct answer early on.”
The team’s preparation extended beyond memorizing facts, focusing on developing their knowledge and building confidence under pressure. Weekly practice sessions were key in sharpening their reaction times and perfecting their buzzing techniques. Combined with individual study efforts, these practices helped equip the team with the knowledge and confidence needed to succeed during the intense pressure of the competition.
“The weekly practice rounds . . . gave us a decisive edge over many schools and helped us win key questions in the final round,” Yu said. “We also spent a lot of time studying on our own, such as re-reading textbooks and diving into niche Wikipedia articles.”
During the match’s final moments against Troy High School, they remained composed and worked cohesively. Their coordination reflected the results of their preparation, allowing them to make timely decisions and execute their strategy effectively.
“The biggest challenge we faced in the double-elimination rounds was dealing with moments of frustration,” Chen said. “We missed some answers [and] it was easy to feel demotivated. But we managed to pull ourselves out of that slump, regain our momentum and stay focused.”
Ultimately, the team’s win at the 33rd Regional Science Bowl highlighted the impact of hard work, focus and teamwork. Even under intense pressure, the team remained united to secure the victory.
