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Beacon Heights wins Prince George's County elementary Science Bowl match
Summary
Beacon Heights Elementary defeated Phyllis E. Williams 165-150 in the Prince George's County Public Schools Science Bowl; the winner advances to play University Park in the next round.
Beacon Heights Elementary School defeated Phyllis E. Williams Elementary School 165-150 during a Prince George's County Public Schools Science Bowl broadcast, host Dave Zarratt announced.
The win came at the end of a roughly 26‑minute match in the county's 39th annual Science Bowl. "It is 95 for Beacon Heights, 75 for PE Williams," Zarratt said at halftime, and he later announced the final tally: "Phyllis e Williams 150, Beacon Heights 165." The two teams competed across six categories and question values that ranged from 5 to 25 points; both teams started the match with 50 points and the program uses no penalties for incorrect answers.
Why it matters: The Science Bowl is an annual elementary‑school competition run by Prince George's County Public Schools that tests student knowledge across life, physical and Earth sciences. The host said the winning team will return to play University Park for a chance to reach the semifinals.
Key moments included several correct answers on higher‑value questions and steady scoring by Beacon Heights in the first half. Host Dave Zarratt described the program format and categories at the start of the broadcast and guided the match through two rounds. Beacon Heights answered a number of mid‑range and high‑value questions correctly, which produced the margin that decided the contest.
Players and staff introduced themselves on air during the broadcast. Beacon Heights captain Jeremy described the team's preparation: "We practice a lot," he said. Phyllis E. Williams students and coaches also participated throughout the match and answered multiple questions correctly, narrowing the margin in the second half before falling short by 15 points.
The contest included question categories labeled Green Things, Super Aid (animals), Body Systems, Let's Get Physical (physics/chemistry), Science Potpourri, and Dateline Science. Examples of questions read aloud during the match covered topics from plant fog uptake in redwood trees to non‑Newtonian fluids and the origin of penicillin. The program emphasized quick recall and teamwork; no formal penalties were applied for incorrect answers.
The broadcast also included brief team profiles: Beacon Heights named Mr. Carter and Mr. Brown as coaches and listed alternates; Phyllis E. Williams identified Ms. Rogers as principal and Miss Lamon as coach. The host noted the event's long history in the county and encouraged viewers to follow the next round.
Beacon Heights will return to face University Park for a spot in the semifinals, per the program format announced on air.
