Ocean Sciences Bowl (OSB) is an academic competition in which teams of four or five face off in high-stakes buzzer rounds. Topics encompass all things “ocean”, including pH of certain limnic zones, phyla of certain invertebrates, and geologic formations at a depth of 200 m.

It’s a difficult event to prepare for, with so much information to absorb and retain. It was no surprise that members of OSB across the U.S. were devastated last year when the national organization announced its dissolution and subsequent cancellation of competitions. However, several schools, including Lynbrook High School (LHS) in San Jose, CA, decided to take matters into their own hands by hosting small invitational competitions to keep the spirit alive.

On Feb. 4, Arcadia High School (AHS) sent a Varsity and JV team to Lynbrook OSB Invitational. Both teams brought their best to the competition and Varsity walked away with 3rd place and a notable mention in sportsmanship.

It was freshman Danika Wang’s first time attending an OSB competition, and she did so as the captain of the JV team.

“I was happy to represent Arcadia’s JV team during the captain’s meeting, and I am grateful to have gained more leadership experience,” said Wang.

The invitational took place over Zoom to accommodate schools from Michigan to North Carolina. The variation between schools also made for some varied (and highly amusing) questions, one of which Wang distinctly remembers.

“A bonus [question] we received was about a fried shrimp dish, which was really random and funny because all four of us were confused about what the question was asking,” Wang recalled. “Though we did not understand it, the question gave us all a good laugh.”

In addition to the buzzer competition, LHS hosted a keynote speaker from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute who gave a presentation on various career options and internships connected with oceanic studies. Throughout the day, AHS carried on this lighthearted mood, with the Varsity team spicing things up with matching pufferfish virtual backgrounds.

Junior Madeline Ang competed on the Varsity team and believes they may have helped them secure the sportsmanship award.

“I think [our backgrounds] were very motivational and it added a flair to our team spirit,” she said.

At the end of the day, LHS was 2nd and Mission San Jose High School was 1st and tied with AHS for the sportsmanship award.

To improve for future competitions, “we need to practice buzzing faster,” said Ang. “And we gotta trust our intuition.”

Congratulations to AHS OSB for the top three placement, and best of luck in future competitions!

Photo courtesy of Michelle So