In any competition, numbers matter—it’s the final score that often captures people’s attention. The 2016 Lake Sturgeon Bowl, which took place this past weekend in Milwaukee, was no exception. Sure, the final score of Marshfield High School, 49, Shorewood High School, 44, was noticed, but some different sets of numbers were also a highlight of the competition that is a qualifying round for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl taking place this spring in North Carolina.
Also of note were the nearly 70 volunteers who make things tick. One of them is Fran Luebke who has been a volunteer for the event for every single one of the 15 years that the bowl has existed in Wisconsin. It attracts high-schoolers from around the state to a combination buzzer-round and team analysis on all facts related to water to encompass the biological, physical and social sciences.
Luebke and six others were honored for that 15-year string of service. They, and their fellow volunteers, fulfill roles such as science judge, rules judge and moderator. Scorekeepers, timekeepers and runners are also invaluable to the event.
One final number to call out would be the 16 young people who themselves were Lake Sturgeon Bowl competitors in prior years. A group spanning in age from their early to late 20s briefly addressed this year’s students, explaining what paths they took beyond high school. Most had gone into science-related fields and all were inspiring.
