Washington State Knowledge Bowl is an academic competition for high school students in Washington State. Imported from Colorado, Olympic ESD 114 coordinated the state's first Knowledge Bowl competition during the 1980-1981 school year in which forty-two teams from the region's fifteen high schools competed.

Within a few years, all ESDs in the state were coordinating regional competitions and the first state tournament was held in 1983.

Regional Competitions Each of the nine ESDs (Educational Service Districts) in Washington State hold regional Knowledge Bowl competitions. Regional competitions are held between November and early March. Each ESD decides the format that will be used in their respective regions and how many regional competitions will be held.

The regional competitions that determine which teams will advance to the state-level tournament typically take place in February or early March. The number of teams each ESD region is allotted for the state tournament varies each year with the number of schools that compete at each division (based on Washington Interscholastic Activities Association classification) in each ESD region. The top 18 teams in Divisions 4A, 2A, 1A, and 2B, and the top 12 teams in Divisions 3A and 1B, advance to the state tournament.

The ESD regions are as follows:

ESD 101 (Northeast Washington) ESD 105 (Yakima Valley) ESD 112 (Southwest Washington) ESD 113 (West Central, Coast) ESD 114 (Olympic Peninsula) ESD 121 (Puget Sound) ESD 123 (Southeast Washington) ESD 171 (North Central Washington) ESD 189 (Northwest Washington)

State Tournament The state tournament takes place annually in March.

The format for the state tournament begins with a written round of 50 multiple-choice questions with a 35-minute time limit. Up to six team members may participate in the written round. This is followed by four Preliminary oral rounds of 50 questions each, setting the stage for the Semi-Final and Championship rounds, also oral rounds of 50 questions each. Only four team members may compete in the oral rounds. Team member substitutions are allowed at the half-way point (after question 25) of each oral round.

Washington State Knowledge Bowl Champions Year4A3A2A1A2B (2007–Present)/B (1998-2006)1B(after 2007) 1998 Kamiakin High School Lakes High School Pullman High School Charles Wright Academy St. George's School 1999 Henry Foss High School Lakes High School Connell High School Charles Wright Academy St. George's School 2000 Enumclaw High School Newport High School Blaine High School Charles Wright Academy St. George's School 2001 Kamiakin High School Skyview High School Port Townsend High School Charles Wright Academy St. George's School 2002 Capital High School Bellingham High School Eatonville High School Freeman High School St. George's School 2003 Capital High School Kelso High School Port Townsend High School Okanogan High School St. George's School 2004 Capital High School Lakeside School Port Townsend High School Riverside Christian School St. George's School 2005 Kamiakin High School Lakeside School Medical Lake High School Charles Wright Academy St. George's School 2006 Lewis and Clark High School Bellevue High School Stevenson High School Charles Wright Academy Pe Ell High School 2007 Mountain View High School Hanford High School Blaine High School Chelan High School Federal Way Public Academy Pe Ell High School 2008 Kamiak High School Kennewick High School Sequim High School Charles Wright Academy St. George's School Pe Ell High School 2009 Kamiak High School Kennedy High School Charles Wright Academy Freeman High School DeSales High School Almira/Coulee-Hartline High School 2010 Skyview High School Camas High School Pullman High School Port Townsend High School St. George's School Odessa High School 2011 Olympia High School Camas High School Anacortes High School Colville High School DeSales High School Wilbur High School 2012 Central Valley High School Camas High School Pullman High School Colville High School Northwest Christian High School Wilbur High School 2013 Camas High School Charles Wright Academy West Valley High School Stevenson High School Harrison Prep Valley Christian School 2014 Olympia High School Hanford High School Lakewood High School Stevenson High School Northwest Christian School Pope John Paul II High School (Lacey) 2015 Olympia High School Charles Wright Academy East Valley High School Eatonville High School St. George's School Pope John Paul II High School (Lacey) 2016 Moses Lake High School Glacier Peak High School East Valley High School Eatonville High School La Conner High School Wilbur High School2017Moses Lake High SchoolLakeside SchoolCharles Wright AcademyCashmere High SchoolLiberty Bell High SchoolPope John Paul II High School (Lacey)2018Kamiak High SchoolInterlake High SchoolSequim High SchoolMedical Lake High SchoolFederal Way Public AcademyWest Sound Academy2019Hanford High SchoolStanwood High SchoolCharles Wright AcademyPort Townsend High SchoolLiberty Bell High SchoolRiverside Christian School2022Olympia High SchoolGarfield High School Ridgefield High SchoolCascade High School (Leavenworth, Washington)Life Christian AcademyValley Christian School2023Gonzaga Preparatory SchoolRidgeline High School Ridgefield High SchoolPort Townsend High SchoolLiberty High School (Spangle)West Sound Academy2024Olympia High SchoolHazen High SchoolCharles Wright AcademyPort Townsend High SchoolLiberty High School (Spangle)Wilbur High School2025Hanford High SchoolGig Harbor High SchoolRidgefield High SchoolColumbia High School (White Salmon)Liberty High School (Spangle)Northwest Christian High School2026Hazen High SchoolSnohomish High SchoolRidgefield High SchoolColumbia High School (White Salmon)CAM AcademyNorthwest Christian High School

References

External links ESD 101 Regional Knowledge Bowl ESD 105 Regional Knowledge Bowl ESD 112 Regional Knowledge Bowl ESD 113 Regional Knowledge Bowl ESD 114 Regional Knowledge Bowl ESD 121 Regional Knowledge Bowl ESD 123 Regional Knowledge Bowl ESD 171 Regional Knowledge Bowl ESD 189 Regional Knowledge Bowl Washington State Knowledge Bowl Tournament