Liberty Science Bowl team qualifies for nationals in D.C.

MADISON – After an undefeated run at regional competition in Mobile on Feb. 1, the Science Bowl Team at Liberty Middle School now is headed to Washington D.C. to compete in the 2025 National Science Bowl.

As winners in the qualifying regional competition, Liberty gained eligibility for national finals on April 24-28, all expenses paid for the five-day round trip. Students will pursue STEM-themed activities, sightseeing and contests. The top two middle and high school teams will win $5,000 for their schools. Other schools in the top 16 will receive $1,000.

The Office of Science with the U.S. Department of Energy manages National Science Bowl and sponsors finals.

National Science Bowl uses a fast-paced, question- and-answer format to solve technical problems and answer a range in biology, chemistry, earth and space sciences, physics and math.

For regionals, Liberty sent two teams, who were placed in two different divisions. Both teams went undefeated in round robin and advanced to divisional semifinals.

Liberty Team 2 lost in semifinals. Liberty Team 1 won in semifinals and finals rounds for teams to reign as 2025 Champions.

This winning team includes Captain Prahaas Avula, specializing in earth sciences and physics; Daksh Sunil, life science; Ananya Shankar, life science; Jason Chacko, earth and space; and Joseph Lee, math.

“This is the second time Liberty has won the state title in the last three years and is heading to nationals,” Parent Coach Suresh Avula said.

Science Department Chair Karen Price, who teaches sixth-grade science at Liberty, has served two years as coach for Science Bowl and Science Olympiad and coordinates student visits to Space Camp.

Price and Avula believe the students’ effort in preparing for Science Bowl will help in other science competitions and in highschool studies.

“Seeing students grow into such science scholars has been quite remarkable,” Price said. “Their commitment to subject matter and their drive to succeed have been so rewarding to witness. I’m so proud of their achievements.”

“Having Liberty represent our state at nationals is a huge honor and will be an exciting experience for our students. As a teacher, sponsor and coach, the highest achievement is to see our students achieve and become confident in their abilities and talents,” Price said.

Suresh Avula has served three years as Parent Coach. “We won the state title in 2023 and were finalists in 2024. We identified the subject matter expertise to students very early and spent many hours learning concepts and practicing at home and school with the goal of winning the championship again,” Avula said.

“Students were very dedicated and hardworking, which resulted in achieving the goal we set for this year. Their mastering of subject matter is helping them and the team — not just in Science Bowl but also in other science competitions like Science Olympiad,” Avula said.

“As a coach, it’s a proud moment when students’ hard work results in a success story. After winning at state, the next goal is to do well against the best schools in the nation. Students are excited for the opportunity presented,” Avula said.

Suresh Avula works as a Design Engineer at ADTRAN Inc. He thanks his company for allowing him to volunteer as a Liberty coach.

Since its first competition in 1991, National Science Bowl has coordinated approximately 336,000 students facing off in finals. Former competitors have acquired knowledge, collaborative skills and study habits for success in various fields.

“These students are truly gifted when it comes to the fields of science and math,” Price said. “I cannot wait to see where their future takes them!”

For more information, visit energy. gov/topics/national-science-bowl.