Teams from 16 different middle schools throughout the state visited Howe and Hoover Halls this weekend. A hydrogen fuel cell car race was held in Howe on Friday afternoon, and an academic competition was held throughout both halls all day Saturday.

Ames Laboratory and Iowa State sponsored the 4th annual Middle School Science Bowl on Friday and Saturday.

“This is a great opportunity to reward kids who excel in math and science,” said Steve Karsjen, the Science Bowl coordinator and program director for Ames Lab. “The winner of this regional bowl will get an all-expenses-paid trip to the national competition in Colorado this June, and I think that that’s a nice little carrot for working hard academically.”

For the hydrogen fuel cell cars, coaches attended a workshop during Spring Break where they learned how to build a car. They were then given a fuel cell and water tank, and were free to design the car the best way they saw fit.

The team competing from Mediapolis kept its construction nice and simple.

“We recycled our chassis from last year, and we did need a few new things, but it wasn’t hard to get them. I’d say we spent, at most, five dollars,” said Allison Tamminga, 14.

“We taught them how to build it, then we sent them back with a fuel cell and said, ‘it’s up to you to come up with the parts.’ It’ll be interesting to see what they come up with,” Karsjen said.

Teams were chosen by school basis. The schools that wanted to compete sent in an application, and then picked students from their school that they felt would be a strong choice.

“We got chosen to do it, and it’s kind of an honor,” Tamminga said.

Her teammates are quick to rib her about her word choice.

“I got chosen, but I didn’t have much say in the matter. I kind of didn’t want to go, but my parents just said, ‘too bad, you’re going,'” said 14-year-old Zack Scheitlin, jokingly.

The car race was the first of a day full of activities. After the races, the ISU Ambassadors led the teams on a walking tour of campus, and then gave a presentation about the solar car that Team PrISUm is making.

After dinner, the students were shown a performance by Material Advantage, an ISU engineering student group.

Saturday started bright and early for the teams, as the academic competition started at 7:30 a.m. After check-in and a quick breakfast, the teams began competition.

“The academic competition is kind of intense,” said Breehan Gerleman, a communications specialist for Ames Lab and volunteer for the day. “The questions come at them really quick.”

The questions covered all branches of science, and some math skills were also tested.

“The Department of Energy provided us with all the questions, and we look over them with a review committee to double check them, suggest any changes, things like that,” Karsjen said.

Gerleman said she enjoyed watching the students compete.

“This may not have been something I would have done as a kid, but I didn’t have the opportunity to do it, it wasn’t around. These kids do, and I think that it’s great,” she said.