Seward High had an incredible triumph this past month at this year’s 2026 National Ocean Science Bowl. Seward’s A team, “Tropic of Answer,” placed second against Juneau Douglass’s team, “Pacificus,” although it was a tight race with Juneau just barely beating them. Each and every team came to compete, and that they did, Seward’s B team, the Idling Eiders, placing in 6th, giving it their all with every match being close. Overall, both teams had a great time sharing their passion for the art of marine science and all of the fun things that come along with it.

Seward’s B team, the Idling Eiders, did an amazing job on the research section of the competition, placing third overall on the essay and fourth overall on the speech. Their project was on the conservation efforts for the spectacled eider species. The spectacled eider is a now-threatened Arctic sea duck who is native to Alaska but also can be found in Russian waters. Their project explored how climate change and human activities can be detrimental to the spectacled eider population. It expanded on how while climate change continues to intensify our arctic waters, sea ice is drastically changing, affecting spectacled eider homes.

While Seward’s A team also did amazingly in the research portion, placing first overall against their competition, Jeanu. Their presentation was on shellfish conservation, and they spoke very well and with clear confidence. Their research focused a lot on Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute’s work with shellfish conservation and their work on keeping populations alive. They expanded on ocean acidification and its role in shellfish populations and how it affects their health. In the end, they expand on self-sustaining shellfish farms that are ethical and also cultural. Overall their work was very admirable and outstanding.

If you are reading this unsure as to what NOSB actually is, it is an amazing competition that brings together lovers of marine science from all over the nation. Students are asked to write a 15-page research paper on the topic chosen for that year. Then it depends on a state, but in Alaska you then have to give a presentation on your chosen topic and research paper. Then after those festivities you go head-to-head with other schools’ teams and answer questions on ocean facts in a competitive setting. It truly is an amazing experience and makes for lots of new friendships to be formed as well as knowledge to be learned.