Valley Students Place at Annual Sputum Bowl

The 45th Annual Sputum Bowl, hosted by the Michigan Society of Respiratory Care (MSRC), took place on April 7-8 in Lansing, Michigan. This thrilling competition, inspired by the buzzer-style format of "Jeopardy," challenges respiratory therapy students to showcase their expertise in anatomy, physiology, diagnostics, mechanical ventilation and various respiratory care principles. Teams from across the state battle it out, answering rapid-fire questions to claim the ultimate victory.

Originating from the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), the Sputum Bowl starts at state-level conferences nationwide, with champions advancing to compete at the prestigious national AARC conference.

This year, 16 student teams from Michigan joined the lively showdown, including four teams from Kalamazoo Valley Community College. With a mix of first- and second-year students, each team brought humor and creativity to the event by crafting playful names inspired by respiratory therapy.

"The talented Jason Ramsey contributed his artistic skills to design the T-shirts and posters, adding even more personality to the event," said Susan Pearson, program director. "The team names - Goofy Goobers, Terminal Weaners, Racemic Baddies, and Lavage Dior - brought plenty of smiles and laughs. We are incredibly proud of all our teams, especially Racemic Baddies and Lavage Dior, who fought hard and made it all the way to the Final Four Championship Game. It was an unforgettable display of skill, knowledge and camaraderie!"

Valley students include:
Lavage Dior: Enzo Weaver, Nick Gmur, Zoe Nadrasik, Jadin Easter
Racemic Baddies: Faye Scott-Farnsworth, Colby Miles, Raine Jackson, Lainie Antisdale
Terminal Weaners: Cheyenne Alley, Morgan Mohr, Cali Miller
Goofy Goobers: Adylan Yost, Megan O'Connor, Canny Haislip, Destiny Betz