Two teams from Fort Pierce Westwood High School Marine Oceanographic Academy took first and second place at the 15thannual Florida Manatee Bowl, which this year took place at the Johnson Education Center at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University in Fort Pierce, home of the MOA academy. Sixteen high school teams with four or five students on each team participated in this year’s Manatee Bowl. The academic competion consisted of buzzer-style, multiple-choice questions and open-ended, team-challenge questions. The first place place team included, pictured, from left, Samantha Oxley, Shelby Busenbark, Danielle Gordon, Brooke Gaylord, Jeremy Johnson, and coach Scott Hurley. They will now compete against 24 teams in April at the National Ocean Science Bowl in Baltimore, Maryland. The second place team consisted of Samuel Jones-Bankston, Justice Smith, Helda Vega, Ludwin Vielman, Tommy Yannopoulos and Coach Scott McMillen. Also participating from St. Lucie Public Schools was a team from St. Lucie West Centennial High School including of Kayla Birch, Dallas Sidebottom, Sissy Sidebottom, Cassi Smith, Chris Wirsing and Coach Deron Bauer. The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a collaborative effort between the Consortium for Ocean Leadership and host institutions. Its mission is to advance research, education and sound ocean policy.
Westwood High School MOA teams take top two spots in prestigious Manatee Bowl
