Lexington High School’s Science Bowl Team placed second at the 2025 National Science Bowl in Washington D.C. They were national champions in 2023 and 2024. 

Science Bowl is a buzzer-based competition that tests students’ knowledge in six core STEM categories: biology, chemistry, mathematics, earth science, space science, and energy. Teams compete in fast-paced head-to-head rounds, where quick thinking, subject mastery, and strong communication are critical. 

“I think people would be surprised how much of a psychological game it is over just a pure knowledge thing,” Damon Gurvich, a senior and four-year member of the team, said. “I’ve met people who are really smart but when it comes to the actual game, they’re just too timid to buzz or they second-guess themselves.” 

Preparation for the competition starts early. Weekly practices during the school year, which usually fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, lay the groundwork for collaborative team dynamics. During April Break, the team holds longer “marathon” practices, simulating the length and fatigue of competition days with eight-hour sessions. 

Each of the five members specializes in one primary and one secondary subject, with enough overlap across team members to ensure all the content is covered. Gurvich’s personal strengths lie in biology and physics, while other team members fill in the rest of the subjects. Together, they balance both subject knowledge and teamwork. 

“When we aren’t sure and people suggest conflicting answers, we usually go with the person whose subject it is. You get that sort of intuition from your subject that other people might not have,” Gurvich said. 

Regardless of knowledge, the fast-paced structure of the competition can be stressful for all team members. 

“[For one of the questions], if I was asked outside of that pressure, it would have been really easy. But the pressure made my hands shake, and I couldn’t think about it for ten seconds. I had to write it down and go through each step. We answered it, and the moderator said it was right,” Gurvich said. 

After a series of tough matches, LHS ended up placing second place. Despite not three-peating, the team believes that they still gained a rewarding experience. 

“I think it was much more satisfying than I thought it would be,” Gurvich said. “We sort of lost our streak – we were winners twice and now we’re runners-up … But we had an on-stage high, the audience felt so excited, and that level of engagement made me feel much better than in a different year where we steamrolled the other team. I am more grateful to be the loser of a very exciting match than the winner of a super one-sided match.” 

When asked about advice for future Science Bowl team members, Gurvich encouraged students not to quit early on. 

“Do not be discouraged if it doesn’t go super well the first time, because it probably won’t,” Gurvich said.