National Science Bowl Georgia Regional at Newnan High Saturday
By REBECCA LEFTWICH
rebecca@newnan.com
More than 20 middle school teams are expected to converge on Newnan High School Saturday for the National Science Bowl Georgia Regional Competition.
It is one of several science and technology related competitions coming up in Coweta.
"The entire science department is looking forward to the opportunity to host this state event," said Dan Coleman, head of Newnan High's science department.
Coleman said NHS has been involved with National Science Bowl for more than 20 years, but "this is the first time we've actually run an event like this," he said.
No Cowetans are expected to be among the 22 teams – consisting of four members and an alternate – competing. Newnan High, which sent a team to National Science Bowl Finals competition in 1993, will participate in regionals next Saturday at Georgia State University.
The National Science Bowl is an annual event aimed at encouraging students to pursue careers in science and math, according to Dirk Fillpot of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, the event's sponsor. The winning team will be awarded an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., where it will compete against other regional winners from across the country in the National Finals in April.
Starting on Saturday and continuing through March 9, more than 120 regional competitions will take place throughout the United States as well as in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In regionals, teams of four students each will be faced with tough mathematical problems and tested on their knowledge in astronomy, biology, Earth science and physics.
For more information on the National Science Bowl, visit http://science.energy.gov/wdts/nsb/ .
The Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts in Newnan will be the site of two other science and technology-related events, beginning today with the West Georgia Technology Fair.
Approximately 160 projects created by students in grades 3-12 will be evaluated by judges beginning at 8:30 a.m. Judging will conclude at noon and awards will be presented at 12:45 p.m.
The West Georgia Technology Fair is a technology competition for students in the West Georgia Region, which includes public, private and homeschooled students from Carroll County, Carrollton City, and Coweta, Harris, Heard, Meriwether and Troup counties.
In the event that schools are closed or have a delayed start because of inclement weather, the event will take place on Tuesday, January 22.
Also, middle and high school students from throughout the county's public schools will compete for top honors at the Coweta County Science Fair next Friday, Jan. 25.
Participants will display their projects from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts in Newnan, and school officials have invited a chemical engineer/ comedian to speak to the students from 10-11 a.m.
Students will return to the Centre at 6:30 p.m. for the awards ceremony, where winning projects will be announced.
