Academic Challenge

Each year the Wimberley Lions Club sponsors the Middle School Academic Challenge.  It is fun for both the Lions who help and the students who participate.  I always come away with an appreciation for both our teachers and students on how much knowledge is being absorbed by the students.  The students really like the cash they earn.  

Before the day of the Academic Challenge, the teachers had held a preliminary contest to reduce the competitors to 6 to 9 teams per class.  These top students form teams of 3.  The teams are seated in a group in the middle of the gym.   The rest of their class set in the gym bleacher to observe and cheer their favorites.

Each member answers four questions: one math, one english, one science, and one history/social studies.  After each question, ten seconds are allowed for the student to mark their answer.  The correct response is announced and the Lion marks the correct responses and flips the score card display so the audience can follow.  The team roatates to the next member after set of questions.  This rotation continues until each team member has answered 12 questions.  The teams or ordinally ranked.  Tie breaker questions are used to break any ties.

The team of three that comes in first each win $100.  The second place team each wins $50.  Each member of the third place team win $30.  This occurs for both the seventh and eight grades.

The two who make this operation work are Cathy Carolan from the Jr High School and PDG Dave Slider getting the Lion Volunteers where they need to be.  Thanks to both of you.