Rich DeGraff, Chair, Board of Managers | Sandia National Laboratories
Rich DeGraff, Chair, Board of Managers | Sandia National Laboratories
Students from Albuquerque Public Schools are preparing to compete in the 2025 Department of Energy National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C. La Cueva High School and Eisenhower Middle School secured their spots at the national level after winning regional competitions sponsored by Sandia National Laboratories.
La Cueva High School triumphed over reigning champion Los Alamos High School in the high school division, while Eisenhower Middle School defeated five-time champion Los Alamos Middle School, marking their first regional win. The national competition is scheduled for April 24-28.
Dan Riley, an electrical engineer at Sandia National Labs who has coached the Eisenhower team since 2019, expressed his satisfaction with the victory: “It feels fantastic to finally have one of our teams win the New Mexico Science Bowl.” Riley emphasized the hard work that went into building a competitive team over several years.
James Goodman, an Eisenhower teacher and fellow coach, highlighted the enthusiasm of this year's students: “We had a great group of students this year who are so enthusiastic about science and math and our weekly practices really paid off.”
Lucas Riley, Dan's son and a senior at La Cueva High School, celebrated his first regional science bowl win as part of La Cueva’s team. The victories by these public schools underscore the talent present within Albuquerque's public education system. As Dan Riley noted, “While private schools often receive a lot of attention for academics, I have found a lot of very smart and talented kids within our public school system over the last seven years.”
Riley also reflected on the broader impact of participating in such competitions: “I volunteer in this capacity because I really want to see our children grow up with a love of science and math. This competition format really seems to kindle a desire to go out and do additional learning.”
The event highlights not only academic excellence but also community involvement through volunteers from Sandia National Laboratories who help make the regional DOE Science Bowl possible.
Alerts Sign-up