The New Squids on the Dock are hanging tough in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl.

The team from Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé won the Tsunami Bowl, a regional ocean science academic competition that is part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership announced in a news release this week.

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Next month, the team will join winners from 20 other regional bowls for virtual finals, as all competition is taking place virtually due to COVID-19-related restrictions on in-person activities.

Students on the championship team include Tias Carney, Elin Antaya, Jackson Marx, Addy Mallott and Adrian Whitney. Shannon Easterly coaches the team. The theme of this year’s competition is Plunging Into Our Polar Seas.

“The Tsunami Bowl, which was hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska SeaLife Center, is part of a nationwide competition that tests students’ knowledge of ocean science disciplines through buzzer-style, multiple-choice questions and open-ended team challenge questions.,” the release said.

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“Our polar regions are changing rapidly. Understanding and predicting this change—and its impact on the rest of the planet—requires truly interdisciplinary research. Students need to know physical oceanography, chemistry, geology, biology, and atmospheric science, but also social science, history, science policy, and environmental justice, as many Indigenous communities are deeply affected by the changing Arctic environment,” said Kristen Yarincik, director of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl at the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. “Considering multiple perspectives and collaborating around a shared goal are key to polar science and key to the mission of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. We’re thrilled that this year’s theme allows students to learn about some of the most pressing scientific questions of our time while also helping them become more thoughtful, well-rounded people.”

•Contact reporter Dana Zigmund at dana.zigmund@juneauempire.com or 907-308-9861.