NAQT High School National Championship

[Craig Karlberg]

School competitions are a fun way to find out who's the "smartest" of the bunch.  When I was in upstate New York, there was something called the "Blue & White Challenge"(aptly named because of our school colors).  I was invited to participate in such a tournament during my junior year.  About a couple weeks in, I was told I had to submit a certain number of questions(10 I think it was) in order to be "certified" as a team member.  Needless to say, I wasn't the sharpest mind on the team I was on(I was 2nd in line to the captain), but I did pretty well.  I answered 7 out of 9 questions that I attempted(one was an inadvertant buzz-in).  The team managed to advance to a 3-team final.  We won the first match, but lost the final match by 20 or 30 points.  At least the experience was well worth it over the school year.

[aaron sica]

[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'241436\' date=\'May 26 2010, 03:36 AM\']Needless to say, I wasn't the sharpest mind on the team[/quote]

The jokes write themselves, folks.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'241414\' date=\'May 25 2010, 03:39 PM\']If you are unionized and there is nothing in the bargaining agreement about an academic team coach position, go no further.  ("If there's no pay scale listed, such a position doesn't exist" was what I was told.)[/quote]
That's disappointing, though not particularly surprising.  Our union isn't nearly that rigid, though I'm having my own issues with them right now.  Our district, like many in Michigan, is in serious financial straits.  Our complicated situation has basically boiled down to a simple one.  The teachers (along with every other employee in the district, from the superintendent down to a part-time secretary) would need to take no more than a two percent pay cut, or else we have to privatize custodial services and dramatically reduce bussing, costing dozens of long-time employees their jobs and seriously compromising our ability to function.  So far, the teachers -- or at least their union -- won't budge.

[mmb5]

[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'241436\' date=\'May 26 2010, 03:36 AM\']I answered 7 out of 9 questions that I attempted(one was an inadvertant buzz-in).  The team managed to advance to a 3-team final.  We won the first match, but lost the final match by 20 or 30 points.  At least the experience was well worth it over the school year.[/quote]

Since you considered this important information, when I get home this evening I will detail every quizbowl match I ever appeared in as a player, dating back to 1987.  I don't have an exact count handy, but it is well over 400.  I invite colonial and any other quizbowler on this board, whether a long-time player or just for a season or two, to do the same.  Because it's just that fascinating and relevant.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'mmb5\' post=\'241443\' date=\'May 26 2010, 12:45 PM\']Since you considered this important information, when I get home this evening I will detail every quizbowl match I ever appeared in as a player, dating back to 1987.  I don't have an exact count handy, but it is well over 400.  I invite colonial and any other quizbowler on this board, whether a long-time player or just for a season or two, to do the same.  Because it's just that fascinating and relevant.[/quote]
Can't wait!

[MikeK]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'241440\' date=\'May 26 2010, 11:12 AM\'][quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'241414\' date=\'May 25 2010, 03:39 PM\']If you are unionized and there is nothing in the bargaining agreement about an academic team coach position, go no further.  ("If there's no pay scale listed, such a position doesn't exist" was what I was told.)[/quote]
That's disappointing, though not particularly surprising.  Our union isn't nearly that rigid, though I'm having my own issues with them right now.  Our district, like many in Michigan, is in serious financial straits.[/quote]
We're in the same boat.  In Cleveland, over 500 teachers got laid off due to budget concerns.  The Cleveland union is at an impasse with the Cleveland school district CEO since the bargaining agreement is up at the end of June.  If the teachers union accepts a 4.6% budget cut, nobody will be laid off.  From what I've heard, it'll get quite ugly during the summer.

Back to the academic team thing...  I don't believe Cleveland high schools have participated in Academic Challenge for years, at least since the show returned to TV in 2005.  Again, it could be a money issue, between having to reimburse the coach and any busing cost.  If it doesn't make a profit, Cleveland schools doesn't know about it.

[Tim L]

[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'241453\' date=\'May 26 2010, 03:48 PM\']. Again, it could be a money issue, between having to reimburse the coach and any busing cost. If it doesn't make a profit, Cleveland schools doesn't know about it.[/quote]

Busing Cost?..I may be naive, but how much can it cost to bus maybe 6 students, (Players and alternates) A Teacher advisor or two and some parents to Downtown Cleveland?

I'm Assuming, of course that Academic Challenge is still taped at the WEWS studios at 30th and Euclid Ave.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Tim L\' post=\'241465\' date=\'May 26 2010, 05:28 PM\'][quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'241453\' date=\'May 26 2010, 03:48 PM\']. Again, it could be a money issue, between having to reimburse the coach and any busing cost. If it doesn't make a profit, Cleveland schools doesn't know about it.[/quote]

Busing Cost?..I may be naive, but how much can it cost to bus maybe 6 students, (Players and alternates) A Teacher advisor or two and some parents to Downtown Cleveland?
[/quote]
Gas, cost of filling up a school bus, paying the driver the extra hour(s), etc. Unless I'm missing something, it's not so much how many are on the bus as much as it is a school bus having to go somewhere outside of a normal school route. Even though it counts as an extracurricular activity (like football games*), it's still extra driving and fuel for buses, not to mention how many schools probably compete and how many buses that would require each week.

*Transporting sports teams/bands/cheerleaders has become a financial issue in recent years as well.

[MikeK]

[quote name=\'Tim L\' post=\'241465\' date=\'May 26 2010, 05:28 PM\']Busing Cost?..I may be naive, but how much can it cost to bus maybe 6 students, (Players and alternates) A Teacher advisor or two and some parents to Downtown Cleveland?

I'm Assuming, of course that Academic Challenge is still taped at the WEWS studios at 30th and Euclid Ave.[/quote]
Last statement first--yes, Academic Challenge is still taped at E. 30th and Euclid, next door to where I taught for two years.

Brandon covered my response to part one quite well.  An additional cost is paying overtime for the bus driver, assuming we're even talking about using a Cleveland school bus.  I've seen more than a few private buses take sports teams from where I teach to away games.  When I substitute coached our school's bowling team, we went to the lanes via 2 minivan taxis, and then those taxis dropped off each player at their house with one taxi's last stop being dropping me off at school.

[J.R.]

[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'241436\' date=\'May 26 2010, 03:36 AM\']I answered 7 out of 9 questions that I attempted(one was an inadvertant buzz-in).  The team managed to advance to a 3-team final.  We won the first match, but lost the final match by 20 or 30 points.  At least the experience was well worth it over the school year.[/quote]
I'll bet you post pictures of your sock drawer on Facebook.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'J.R.\' post=\'241468\' date=\'May 26 2010, 03:03 PM\']I'll bet you post pictures of your sock drawer on Facebook.[/quote]
Who *doesn't*?

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'241467\' date=\'May 26 2010, 05:58 PM\']next door to where I taught for two years.[/quote]
So presumably, bussing would not have been a problem.

Of the 88 schools that play QuizBusters each season, my guess is that less than a quarter of them use their school busses to get there.  Most of them just arrive on their own somehow.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'brianhenke\' post=\'241382\' date=\'May 24 2010, 07:10 PM\']I might be biased, but one-time Jeopardy! Teen Tournament champion Rachel Horn is scheduled to be one of the members of the team at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati.[/quote]They're letting champs come back now?

[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'241436\' date=\'May 26 2010, 12:36 AM\']About a couple weeks in, I was told I had to submit a certain number of questions(10 I think it was) in order to be "certified" as a team member.[/quote]I've heard of this as a requirement before. Can someone else explain it, please?

[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'241453\' date=\'May 26 2010, 12:48 PM\']If it doesn't make a profit, Cleveland schools doesn't know about it.[/quote]I was of the understanding that the public sector is supposed to do things that don't make a profit, because the private sector won't do 'em for that reason.

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'241466\' date=\'May 26 2010, 02:41 PM\']Gas, cost of filling up a school bus, paying the driver the extra hour(s), etc. Unless I'm missing something, it's not so much how many are on the bus as much as it is a school bus having to go somewhere outside of a normal school route. Even though it counts as an extracurricular activity (like football games*), it's still extra driving and fuel for buses, not to mention how many schools probably compete and how many buses that would require each week.

*Transporting sports teams/bands/cheerleaders has become a financial issue in recent years as well.[/quote]And that's why the Kentwood Chess/Knowledge Bowl/Chinpoko-mon teams held fund raisers and paid dues and junk, so that we'd leave a neutral footprint on the school's books.

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'241470\' date=\'May 26 2010, 03:28 PM\'][quote name=\'J.R.\' post=\'241468\' date=\'May 26 2010, 03:03 PM\']I'll bet you post pictures of your sock drawer on Facebook.[/quote]Who *doesn't*? [/quote]I was all ready to whip out my camera and post the picture and everything, except

1) I'm a lazy git and
2) Chris's reply is MUCH funnier than the sight gag would have been.

[mmb5]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'241484\' date=\'May 26 2010, 10:03 PM\'][quote name=\'brianhenke\' post=\'241382\' date=\'May 24 2010, 07:10 PM\']I might be biased, but one-time Jeopardy! Teen Tournament champion Rachel Horn is scheduled to be one of the members of the team at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati.[/quote]They're letting champs come back now?[/quote]
Why wouldn't they?  If you win the Stanley Cup, you're not disqualified from playing again.  And NAQT doesn't care if you played on Jeopardy.  At one time they actually had a list of NAQT players who appeared on a game show.

[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'241436\' date=\'May 26 2010, 12:36 AM\']About a couple weeks in, I was told I had to submit a certain number of questions(10 I think it was) in order to be "certified" as a team member.

I've heard of this as a requirement before. Can someone else explain it, please?[/quote]
The best way to becoming a player is to write questions, it's even more important than repetitive practice.  It teaches you the structure of the question and what to expect while playing.  Plus, if you do it right, you will have all of the facts of that subject burned into you.  If you want to be a great player, get in the habit of writing 10 questions a week.


--Mike

[MikeK]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'241472\' date=\'May 26 2010, 06:43 PM\'][quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'241467\' date=\'May 26 2010, 05:58 PM\']next door to where I taught for two years.[/quote]
So presumably, bussing would not have been a problem.[/quote]
Taught.  Past tense.  Words have meanings, or some such stuff. ;-)  Where I'm at now is 12 miles away.