SJR16: Enrolled Joint Resolution

2013 Senate Joint Resolution 16

ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION

Relating to: commending the Spring Valley High School National Ocean Sciences Bowl Team for winning the 12th Annual Lake Sturgeon Bowl Regional Competition.

Whereas, the Spring Valley High School National Ocean Sciences Bowl Team was named champion of the 12th Annual Lake Sturgeon Bowl Regional Competition on February 9, 2013, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and

Whereas, the National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a nationwide academic competition designed to challenge and test students in their knowledge of ocean and freshwater-related topics; and

Whereas, this year's theme is "The Great Lakes: A Window into Freshwater Science"; and

Whereas, the Spring Valley team, coached by Michele Huppert, consists of team captain, senior Sarah Sortedahl, and team members, seniors Ashley Ehman and Rex Gould and juniors Claire Arneson and Tyler O'Keefe; and

Whereas, Coach Michele Huppert has been a successful mentor to the team members and has taken great strides to promote the importance of educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the Spring Valley School District; and

Whereas, the team members have proven themselves as academically gifted and driven students, planning to pursue post-secondary education in software engineering, materials science, natural resources management, and medical fields; and

Whereas, the team has been studying and preparing for the competition since October; and

Whereas, the team members have become experts in oceanography and freshwater resources in the disciplines of marine biology, chemistry, geology, technology, physics, social science, and marine policy; and

Whereas, Spring Valley High School has been committed to the National Ocean Sciences Bowl by fielding a team in the competition for the past nine years; and

Whereas, as a symbol of Wisconsin's forestry heritage and to resemble lumberjacks, the team donned flannel shirts as the official team uniform, which has been a tradition passed down from previous Spring Valley High School National Ocean Sciences Bowl teams; and

Whereas, this year's team finished ahead of their longtime rival, Marshfield High School, to whom they placed second in the previous six years; and

Whereas, the team notably went undefeated throughout the entire Lake Sturgeon Bowl and averaged a score twice that of their opponents for each match; and

Whereas, due to the team's exceptional accomplishment of placing first in the Lake Sturgeon Bowl, the team will advance to the National Ocean Sciences Bowl Finals Competition, where they will compete against twenty-five other states and the District of Columbia; and

Whereas, the team will proudly represent Spring Valley High School, the Spring Valley School District, the greater community, and the state of Wisconsin at the national competition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from April 18 to April 21; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the members of the Wisconsin legislature do hereby commend the Spring Valley High School National Ocean Sciences Bowl Team on finishing in first place at the 12th Annual Lake Sturgeon Bowl Regional Competition and wish the team success at the upcoming 2013 National Ocean Sciences Bowl Finals Competition and in their future endeavors.