The Lincoln East Science Bowl team will host its tryouts for the 2023-24 season on Friday, October 13th. The science bowl is a nationwide competition where students face off and answer fast paced questions about mathematics and science. There is one regional double elimination competition on February 17th at Concordia; the winner of this competition heads to the national competition in Washington D.C. in late April. Last year, East took second place in the tournament, and even won the virtual competition the year prior and had the chance to compete at nationals.

For tryouts at East, students will take a 100 questions multiple choice test for 1 hour, with the top 16 scores taken. These students will enter a single elimination buzzer competition, where they go head to head for 4 questions and are awarded 4 points for a correct answer, and the player who wins advances. At the end, the test scores and buzzer competition scores are added together, and the highest ten scores will determine who plays on the team. There are two teams taken of 5 members, 4 players and 1 alternate who subs as necessary.

Junior Nicholas Li thinks it is a good idea for his peers to try out, even if they are unsure about it.

“I would encourage people to try out because many people don’t know how much knowledge they have stored up because they don’t use the things they learned in past years in their current classes,” Li said.

Senior Hannah Tang speaks highly of her time on the science bowl team. Tang was a part of the team that placed second at the regional competition last year.

“It’s an amazing way to broaden your scientific knowledge while finding a community,” Tang said.

Advisor and coach Josie Gilligan is a science teacher at East, and was involved in the science bowl in high school.

“I think that being able to sponsor a club is a great way to get to know students,” Gilligan said. “It’s important that everyone has a place where they can excel and share their passions with others.”