Warwick wins Blue Crab Bowl 2025
Posted: March 5, 2025
Warwick High School's team won Blue Crab Bowl 2025, which is Virginia's regional competition of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, on March 1 at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester.
The Blue Crab Bowl showcases some of the Commonwealth's most talented science students as they display their mastery of oceanic knowledge. In February of each year, up to 16 teams from Virginia high schools compete in the contest.
The 27th annual competition was held February 28 through March 1 at VIMS, which so-sponsors the event with Old Dominion University. Warwick finished first among participating teams, which included public, private and governor's schools some which focus specifically on marine science, according to VIMS.
Warwick advanced to the NOSB Finals Competition on May 17 and 18 on Zoom.
The Raiders team consisted of captain Wayne Riddle, a 12th grader, as well as fellow seniors Elajah Jones, Rudolph Vazquez-Lozada, Gwenyth Conaway, Darwin Roblero-DeLeon and 11th grader Elmer Sierra-Velasquez.
In this academic competition, students answer multiple-choice, short-answer and long-answer analytical questions drawn from scientific and technical ocean science disciplines. Topics covered include biology, chemistry, physics and geology, as well as maritime history, marine policy and current events.
"The competition is a mix of biology, chemistry, physics, history, technology, and policy questions," said Warwick team adviser Tristan Rivera, a science teacher who serves as STEM lead at Warwick. "The students used their strengths in those areas to make a well-rounded team."
The competition motivates students to expand their interest in marine science to include often overlooked aspects like technology and policy, he added. Focusing on specific aspects of marine science, along with interacting with marine science professionals, affords them the opportunity to see how technology, policy and specialized sciences interact and complement one another in the real world, according to Rivera.
"Working as a team builds self-confidence and develops cooperative skills that are essential in post-high school studies, especially in scientific research," Rivera said.
