This past weekend, five Baldwin upperclassmen, led by their coach, Ines Muníz, represented our school and Puerto Rico at the National Science Bowl Finals. The National Science Bowl, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, annually attracts more than 14,000 competitors from public and private middle and high schools nation-wide and Puerto Rico. Begun in 1991, the National Science Bowl initiative encourages students to pursue their interests in mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy, and earth sciences; and to test their knowledge and ability against a distinguished field of their peers. Dozens of teams, upon winning their regional competitions, advance to the Finals at the National Youth Convention Center, located in the suburbs of the nation's capital. Baldwin is representing Puerto Rico at this prestigious national competition for the second consecutive year, having won both the 2013 and 2014 Puerto Rico regional competitions.
As a professionally trained historian of science, a former National Science Foundation supported researcher, and a long time science teacher, I can assure you this event is not for the faint of heart. Four person teams with one alternate compete in a series of grueling round-robin, timed team matches. Each match is made up of twenty-five questions drawn from subatomic physics, thermodynamics, astronomy, evolutionary biology, organic chemistry, geophysics, calculus, and the like. Problem types include complex computation, assessment and ranking, and near instantaneous recall of every scientific detail. Competitors must "buzz in" to answer, which adds an element of chance to an already complex affair. If they buzz in before the question is fully presented and are wrong in their response, or blurt out an answer before they are acknowledged by the moderator, the other team is awarded points and the right to answer. If a team gets the question right, they then have the opportunity to address a harder problem for an even greater number of bonus points. I had the pleasure of watching the competition in person yesterday, and our Baldwin students represented their school and Puerto Rico exceptionally well. Congratulations to our finals team, teams two and three, and their coach!
Our students are exceptional. Like the Science Bowl team, the Model United Nations team also competes regionally and nationally each year. This week we recognize the amazing work of our budding artists in a campus-wide celebration of the visual arts. The always spectacular Third Grade Opera is just around the corner. In the coming weeks, we will gather to honor athletic and academic excellence, and to wish our seniors well as they head off to university.
As we recognize our students for all they accomplish, we must also acknowledge the teachers and coaches who give so generously of their time and their selves in order to provide these opportunities to your children. So to each of our amazing Baldwin educators, who spend countless afternoons and weekends mounting bat houses, practicing oratorio and forensics, preparing operas and musicals and Music Fests, overseeing tournaments, building robots, designing murals, leading travel abroad, and so much more, a heartfelt thanks.
As a quick update, our new security cameras and monitors are in place. We are still fine-tuning our protocols. Because the project took longer than expected, we will use the remainder of this year to work out the kinks of our new Radio Frequency security access system. You will be issued RF campus access chips in lieu of Baldwin stickers to begin the 2014-2015 school year. The new elementary playground has been ordered and is in production, with installation scheduled for late June. We are also addressing fencing surrounding the playground. Finally, a new sidewalk will connect the preexisting sidewalks near the OECC-Tennis Courts and the back gate so that you and your child will no longer have to walk through the athletic parking lot during traffic hours.
See you around campus.