A team of students from Madison are in the running for a national title as they compete for the National Science Bowl crown this weekend.

The team from Liberty Middle School headed to Washington, D.C this week to compete against 46 other middle school teams across the U.S.

The middle schoolers from Madison joined more than 10,000 middle and high school students in this year’s tournaments. Liberty Middle sent two teams to the regional semifinals in Mobile this spring, with both placing and one going undefeated.

The national finals competition, hosted annually by the Department of Energy, began on Thursday. Middle school students are competing all day Saturday, then the top two teams will face off in the championship on Monday.

“This competition brings together some of our nation’s most inspiring young scholars in a magnificent competition of mathematics and science,” said Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, the director of the department’s Office of Science, in a news release. “These students are the visionaries who will drive the innovation of tomorrow and the pioneers of our future in science.”

Scholars are quizzed across multiple science and math disciplines in a rapid question-and-answer series. They also have opportunities throughout the weekend to attend federal research presentations and compete in a cyber science contest.

The top two middle and high school teams will win $5,000 for their schools’ math and science departments. Other schools placing in the top 16 in the National Finals will win $1,000 for their schools’ science departments.

Since its creation in 1991, more than 335,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl. Applications for next year’s competition will open in October.

The Liberty Middle School team includes captain Praneel Avula and teammates Aneesh Maruvada, Nikhita Katragadda, Saqib Baig and Arya Bellamkonda. The teams are coached by science teacher Lori Shrode and parent Suresh Avula.

Below is a full list of middle school finalists:

• Alabama: Liberty Middle School, Madison
• Alaska: Bethel Regional Middle/High School, Bethel
• Arizona: BASIS Chandler (Middle School), Chandler
• Arkansas: Trinity Catholic School, Fort Smith
• California: William Hopkins Junior High School, Fremont; Miller Middle School, San Jose; Granite Ridge Intermediate School, Fresno; Science Academy Stem Magnet, North Hollywood; University Preparatory School, Redding
• Colorado: Preston Middle School, Fort Collins
• Connecticut: Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington
• Florida: Lake Highland Preparatory School, Orlando
• Georgia: Stallings Island Middle School, Martinez
• Idaho: Vera C. O’Leary Middle School, Twin Falls; Meridian Charter School, Meridian
• Illinois: Daniel Wright Jr. High School, Lincolnshire
• Indiana: Sycamore Middle School, Indianapolis
• Iowa: South Middle School, Waukee
• Kansas: Lakewood Middle School, Overland Park
• Kentucky: Calloway County Middle School, Murray; Meyzeek Middle School, Louisville
• Maryland: Robert Frost Middle School, Rockville
• Massachusetts: Jonas Clarke Middle School, Lexington
• Minnesota: Minnetonka East Middle School, Minnetonka
• Mississippi: Ocean Springs Middle School, Ocean Spring
• Missouri: Parkway West Middle School, Chesterfield
• Montana: North Middle School, Great Falls
• Nebraska: Moore Middle School, Lincoln
• Nevada: The Davidson Academy (Middle School), Reno
• New Jersey: Princeton Charter, Princeton
• New Mexico: Los Alamos Middle School, Los Alamos
• New York: Martha Brown Middle School, Fairport; Shaker Middle School, Latham; Hunter College Campus Middle School, New York
• North Carolina: Davis Drive Middle School, Cary
• Oklahoma: Inola Middle School, Inola
• Pennsylvania: Marshall Middle School, Wexford
• Puerto Rico: Colegio Católico Notre Dame (Middle School), Caguas
• Tennessee: Farragut Middle School, Knoxville
• Texas: Fort Settlement Middle School, Sugar Land; Hutchinson Middle School, Lubbock
• U.S. Virgin Islands: Addelita Cancryn Intermediate and Junior High School, St. Thomas
• Virginia: Longfellow Middle School, Falls Church
• Washington: BASIS Independent Bellevue, Bellevue
• West Virginia: Suncrest Middle School, Morgantown
• Wisconsin: Wisconsin Hills Middle School, Brookfield
• Wyoming: Newcastle Middle School, Newcastle