TMTM
The winner of the 7th Annual National Weather Forecast and Earth Science Contest sponsored by the non- profit Weducation, Inc. is Springs School from East Hampton, New York. This team of 5 eighth grade students were victorious over nearly 140 participants from across the nation. Schools ranged from Puerto Rico to the State of Washington and from Tucson, Arizona to the State of Maine. The contest has become so popular with the students at many of the participating schools, that lotteries or other winnowing process is needed to select the final team members .
In addition to bragging rights, the champion Springs team earned $250 dollars and additional prizes for their performance. The team members pictured below are from left to right top row: Captain, Tess Talmage, Melanie Mackin, Elias Van Sickle, Rebecca King, Bottom left to right: Charlotte Wiltshire, Teacher Advisor, Ms. Lisa Seff.
The 2009 contest marks the third year that the competition was opened up to schools throughout the nation, after the first 4 very successful years in New York State . This is the first year however, that a one week championship tournament was used to crown the national champion. All teams must compete in 3 out of the 4 forecast cities during the preliminary round. This year the top ten teams from the preliminary round were invited to compete in the national tournament.
Valuable educational tools are provided on the Weducation, Inc. web site to support the contestant's endeavors. During the preliminary rounds teams had to make a daily weather forecast of temperature and amount of precipitation for a different city each week. Teams were scored on how close their forecast was to the actual weather that occurred at the forecast city. In addition, teams must answer questions pertaining to weather, climate, and other earth science topics using an Earth Systems Science approach. This combination of activities creates a valuable educational experience and assists them on their journey of becoming life long learners. The tournament uses many of the same concepts as the preliminary rounds but is much more intense both in terms of types of forecasts and questions.
After a lackluster performance during the first week forecasting for Burlington, Vermont, the light bulb seemed to go on for the Springs team. During their next 10 forecasts (for 2 different cities) they only missed correctly forecasting the amount of daily precipitation on one day. The stars of the preliminary rounds were the team from Rondout Valley High School in southeastern New York State. They won the first 2 forecast cities, Burlington and International Falls, MN.and finished the tournament in second place. The third forecast city, Memphis, TN. was claimed by Fort Hamilton High School from New York City. Bridgehampton High School from Long Island, needed a perfect forecast on the last day, to just beat out Explorer West from Seattle and take the fourth forecast city. Cloud charts and a glossy cloud poster from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be distributed to every member of a team winning a forecast city.
Each member of the championship team will have their name engraved on our commemorative trophy. Similar to the Stanley Cup the trophy will contain the names of all the past winners of the contest. With a year of the Tournament under our belt we are looking forward to another great contest in 2010. We hope that everybody will keep track of the Tournament in real time via our web site. It is hoped that the tournament will give increased visibility to the teams, contest, and to the importance of Earth Science in the schools.
Richard Morris, Founder of Weducation and a meteorologist, says that his non - profit organization is using the contest as a vehicle to change the way that the weather and climate module is taught in schools. He'd also like to help promote and bolster quality earth science education across the nation. " The kind of learning that the contest and our forecasting tools offer is called discovery mode or inquiry based learning in education parlance. By participating in the free contest , students and teacher advisors will overcome the inadequacy of textbooks and other instructional aids and discover how the atmosphere really works". Teachers are encouraged and have been using the concepts from the contest and applying them to the classroom. Morris says that " the contest has created such a high level of weather interest in some school districts, that the high schools have begun to offer a meteorology elective".
Through the use of existing technology ( readily available in all schools), we can create a high performance learning environment. The contest is enabling Weducation, Inc. and teachers to use technology as a catalyst for student achievement and academic excellence. Participation allows students to have a lot of fun while mastering important science concepts .
Any US science teachers in grades 7 -12 can find out more about the many tangible as well as intangible benefits from participation in the contest. Contact Weducation, Inc. at (315) 724-6364 or e-mail to weducate@dreamscape.com Go to Revealing Science to see pictures of the other 2009 top ten teams.
Hope to have your students and school actively involved in the 2010 contest.
Richard Morris
Founder & Meteorologist
Weducation, Inc.