On Saturday, November 11, MIT hosted its annual Science Bowl invitational, drawing participants from 26 high schools across the country to compete in a fast-paced, competitive verbal forum. Among the many participants were eight Tenafly students eager to showcase their knowledge in various science and math disciplines. The event, which saw students scribbling equations and buzzing in during double-elimination rounds, brought together students in grades nine through twelve. Those representing Tenafly—Andrew Lee (’24), Adi Swaminathan (’24), Derek Cho (’24), Elliott Yoon (’24), Ria Hirawat (’24), Liam Tenenbaum (’25), Edward Wang, (’26) and Toni Yoo (’25)—were among the first Tigers to compete in the MIT invitational.
The annual MIT Science Bowl is a rapid question-and-answer competition that engages high school students from across the United States. Run by student volunteers at MIT, questions at the college freshman level are posed to each team, which consists of four students, one alternate student, and a coach. Volunteer moderators serve as time and score keepers, ensuring that the competition runs smoothly. While the caliber of questions is certainly challenging, the competition is low-stakes; the event focuses on celebrating science and serves as practice for the regional competitions in the winter.
“The most memorable part of the experience was getting to compete against students from all over the country,” Liam Tenenbaum (’25) said. With students flying in from states like Georgia and California, the opportunity to engage with new faces was particularly appealing. “While we may have not won anything, our teams tried our best against some very formidable competition,” he said. Though they did not advance to the knockout stages, both teams representing Tenafly managed to secure a few wins throughout the competition.
Recalling the experience, Tenenbaum is proud to have represented Tenafly. “Being involved in the competition was a great experience,” he said. “It was also nice to compete in a tournament that was less about results and more about celebrating science.” Though the competitors were serious about their answers and approaches, it was evident that everyone involved was having fun; teams laughed along, making light of missed answers throughout the event. Another memorable part of the experience, Tenenbaum noted, was the time students were given to roam around campus and enjoy Boston.
Ultimately, the eight Tenafly students have brought much pride to the community, and their efforts and successes are commended.
