Ravenwood High School outlasts the competition, wins the 2025 Tennessee Science Bowl

High school students from across the state faced off in East Tennessee Feb. 22, 2025, putting their wits to the test. The Tennessee Science Bowl is a fast-paced academic competition that pits teams of four students against each other in a quiz-show-style contest. The event serves all public, private and homeschool students in 9^th – 12^th grades.

Through round-robin and elimination rounds, 60 teams from 43 schools competed to answer questions in a wide range of science topics with a particular focus on the research of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories. At the end of the competition, Ravenwood High School Team 1 was named the winner. In addition to the trophy and $1,000 cash prize for the Brentwood school, these students will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the DOE National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., to represent Tennessee from April 24-28.

Held at Pellissippi State Community College’s Blount Campus, the Tennessee Science Bowl prepares students to compete nationally with other exceptional students from across the country.

Cash prizes and trophies were also awarded to the following schools:

• Mt. Juliet High School - Team 1, for second place ($750)
• Collierville High School - Team 1, for third place ($500)
• Dobyns-Bennett High School - Team 1, for fourth place ($250)

Happy Valley High School received the Civility Award which is given to the team with the best sportsmanship throughout the competition; they were awarded $100 and a trophy.

“The Tennessee Science Bowl is a great event, and the purpose is to build camaraderie and competition in the areas that are the most critical to our nation,” said DOE Oak Ridge National Laboratory Site Office Manager Trey Wheeler. “The nation’s foundation was built on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is important to have that background, because those people are the future problem-solvers of America. These young men and women are going to be in demand, and it is exciting to see them out here competing.”

This was the 35^th annual Tennessee Science Bowl. The two-day event kicked off with a college fair for all the student participants. It takes about 200 volunteers to put on all the activities throughout the weekend.

The Tennessee Science Bowl is sponsored by ORAU and other local businesses, including Pellissippi State Community College; ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the DOE and has been a partner since the beginning of this event.