Emerging engineers and scientists from Boise High are ready to put their skills to the test at the annual National Science Bowl competition this spring in Washington, D.C. The team of five students took first place in this year’s Western Idaho Regional Science bowl at Boise State University on Monday.

The Boise High students beat Centennial High in the finals — both teams tied and had a tiebreaker match.

Nearly 160 students from across Western Idaho, including teams from Caldwell, Ketchum, Marsing and New Plymouth, participated in the regional competition. Teams competed in a “Jeopardy” style setup that featured round-robin game play and team challenge questions. (A moderator asked a question and both teams battled to answer first.)

Students answered questions about biology, chemistry, Earth, space science, physics and math. Students did not just study science skills, but practiced using the buzzer to improve reaction times.

“It gives students who are interested in math and science a place to compete,” said Laurie Anderson, the coordinator of the event.

This is the sixth year the Micron Foundation served as host of the event. The purpose of the Science Bowl is to encourage students from all backgrounds to pursue studies and careers in math, science and technology fields.

The Boise High students received an all-expenses paid trip to compete at the national event held in Washington, D.C., April 26-30.