Peoria school wins regional science competition, secures spot in nationals

PHOENIX — High school students from BASIS Peoria on Saturday won the Arizona regional competition for the 2021 National Science Bowl and will compete in the nationwide finals this spring, according to a press release on Tuesday.

The students from BASIS Peoria competed against teams from schools in Phoenix, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale, Buckeye and Tucson.

Teams were tasked with solving technical problems and answering questions on topics covering biology, chemistry, Earth and space science, physics and math in a fast-paced format.

BASIS Peoria students received $500 for their school’s STEM activities by winning the regional competition, and will now take on 31 other teams from across the country in April during the preliminary rounds for a chance at the elimination tournament held virtually on May 22.

The top two teams in the elimination tournament will receive $5,000 for their schools, according to the release.

Thousands of students compete each year for the grand prize, according to the release, with more than 315,000 participating since the first competition in 1991.

Many competitors in the nationwide competition became researchers or science and math professors at some of the nation’s most prestigious universities, according to the release.

A competition is also held for middle school students, with Arizona’s regionals taking place on Feb. 27 and nationwide finals occurring on May 8.

The National Science Bowl is managed by the U.S. Department of Energy Office.

Follow @KTAR923