Any adult living under the delusion of possessing wide knowledge should have attended the Maine Science Bowl at the University of Southern Maine’s Gorham campus March 4. Twenty-one teams from Maine high schools competed in a “Jeopardy!”-style quiz of two eight-minute segments.

My husband, daughter and I attended because our granddaughter was on the Maine School of Science and Mathematics team. They finished second to an impressive Cape Elizabeth team – both undefeated until the final match.

We are all college graduates, yet although we watched eight matches, we knew the answers to only two questions the entire day. Bad enough that we knew almost no answers. For the most part, we had no idea what the questions meant, and yet these 14- to 18-year-olds consistently got them right on most of the teams.

I have a new respect for area high schools. The knowledge of their students exceeded anything the adults watching probably ever mastered. The advanced math and science abilities demonstrated by 105 students were heartening and hopeful.

Compliments to all those contestants and their teachers. Their bright, well-informed young men and women are the future.

Joan Laidley

South Portland


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.