FREDERICKTOWN – Sixth-grader Cora Frye has a message for fellow students at Fredericktown Middle School: Academic Challenge is fun.
Cora is a member of the team that place third among 28 teams from 13 schools in recent Academic Challenge competition at the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center in Mansfield. This is Fredericktown’s first year to participate in the annual event, which tests students’ knowledge and quick reaction in several subject areas.
Another round of competition is scheduled in March. The finals will be in May.
“Some kids think Academic Challenge is nerdy, but it’s not. It’s fun,” Cora said. “And some don’t want to give up their lunch periods to practice because they want to spend that time with their friends. But we practice maybe a couple of times a week. There’s still time to be with friends.”
Fredericktown fielded two sixth-grade teams and two combined seventh- and eighth-grade teams in the January round. Principal Adam Brown and Ben McClay, the school’s talented and gifted coordinator, believe more kids will want to participate.
“Academic Challenge is a brand new opportunity for our students, something they hadn’t done before,” Brown said. ”They are finding that academics can be fun. We definitely could have more teams if enough kids get involved. A lot of sixth-graders are showing interest.”
McClay agreed.
“This is a new adventure for students at Fredericktown Middle School. The students will continue to sharpen their skills and practice for the upcoming March competition,” he said.
“We anticipate that Academic Challenge will grow and we will have more participants and teams for the March competition.”
Will Pletecher participates on one of the 7-8 grade teams.
“The competition involves questions about a lot of subjects like pop culture, history, math, science and art,” Will said. “Mr. McClay asks us a lot of sample questions during our practices at lunch.”
“That helped me a lot,” Cora added.
Competition is staged in different formats. Two teams square off in a round in which each team is given 10 questions which they can discuss briefly before responding. Correct answers score points. If an answer is incorrect, the opposing team has an opportunity to answer.
As competition continues “lightning rounds” challenge team members to be the first to buzz-in to answer questions.
Total team points determined winners after seven rounds in January.
“We were there for like 3 ½ hours but it didn’t seem that long because it was so much fun,” Cora said.
Fredericktown’s teams include:
6th grade: Natalie Sharp, Xavier Timmons, Carson Sanchez, Cora Frye, and Thomas Shade.
6th grade: Cooper Graham, Raylan Stone, Carsyn Adkins, Brody Randall and Paityn Zimmerman
7-8: Will Pletcher, Harrison Kissel, Brooklyn Briegel and Amaiyah Smith.
7-8: Jack Roush, Carter Budd and Isabella Bradley.
In addition to Fredericktown the January Academic Challenge field included teams from Ashland, Colonel Crawford, Crestview, Galion, Mansfield Christian, Mansfield Malabar, Mansfield Spanish Immersion, Mt. Gilead, Northmor, Ontario, Plymouth-Shiloh, St. Peter’s, Sacred Heart, St. Mary’s of Mansfield, St. Mary’s of Wooster, Shelby, Upper Sandusky and Wooster.
Fredericktown Local Schools is a client district of the Knox Educational Service Center. The ESC office in Mount Vernon develops, implements, and operates cooperative, shared educational services for the Centerburg, Danville, East Knox, Fredericktown and Mount Vernon City school districts, as well as the Knox County Career Center.