Physics Bowl to be held on April 13

Students will gather in classrooms across the world, pencils in hand, to prove their skill in a test of their physics knowledge in the annual Physics Bowl. West Shore’s team will take the test on April 13.

“Physics bowl is something that the American Association of Physics Teachers puts out,” physics teacher Cinsy Krehbiel said. “They get all the students who are going to take the test in one room at one time, and in this case they get 45 minutes to take a 40 question multiple choice test. We send in the answer sheets to the organization and they score them.”

Krehbiel asked junior Hunter Schwartz to lead a study group.

“Mrs. Krehbiel came up to me a few days after the practice test and said I had gotten a high score and asked if I’d be willing to help teach some of the extra stuff I knew to the others,” Schwartz said. “It sounded fun, so I told her I would.”

Schwartz gathered a group to study for the exam at Barnes and Noble. Senior Shelley Mitchell attended, and said she believes the session helped her prepare.

“I feel pretty ready for the test, after learning the subject in class and especially after studying with the group,” she said.

Schwartz expects the group to do well in the competition.

“West Shore has a record for doing brilliantly on this test,” he said. “I have been reading a lot more about physics off-record. I’m hoping my little bit of teaching helped those who came, and who were already spectacular at the subject to begin with.”

Krehbiel said she is optimistic about the results.

“For a given school, the top five scorers together make the team score, and there’s a top school and a second school for the region. Typically West Shore takes at least one of those.”

By Bonnie Rice