Minnetonka West Middle School earns trip to National Science Bowl in D.C.

A science dynasty is flexing its cerebral muscle at a middle school in the west metro.

For the third straight year and the fifth time this decade, Minnetonka West has won the Minnesota Academy of Science's Regional Science Bowl for Middle School Students and another trip to the national competition April 26-30 in the Washington, D.C., area.

The winning West students at the University of St. Thomas Saturday were Nick Carver, Emily Nikas, Rory Cole, Madison Andrews and Elizabeth Morgan. They were coached by teachers Fred Stock and Mitch Elvebak.

A total of 105 students and their coaches from 21 teams representing 13 schools participated in the regional. The competition featured head-to-head competition in a fast-paced question-and-answer format similar to the TV show "Jeopardy!"

Students were quizzed on questions in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, energy, mathematics and physics.

Second place went to Wayzata Central Middle School and third to Field Community School in Minneapolis.

Last year, Minnetonka West finished 16th at the national gathering, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

This year, the top 16 teams in the finals win $1,000 for their schools' science departments.

Paul Walsh