Latest news with #QuizBowl
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Chesapeake student competes in Scripps National Bee
Jun. 4—Makes it to third round of 100th anniversary event WASHINGTON, D.C. — It was long road getting there, but a Chesapeake student took part in the Scripps National Spelling Bee on the outskirts of the nation's capital over the weekend. Joseph Keffer, who just finished fifth grade, qualified for the event after winning the district bee for southeast Ohio in Athens in the spring. Prior to that, he won the Lawrence County Spelling Bee in December, for which he qualified by winning his school's bee. Keffer was one of 243 regional champions to make it nationals. The Scripps National Bee, which is in its 100th year, took place from May 25-30 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. "It was awesome," Joseph said of his experience. "And I made a lot of friends." At the national bee, Keffer made it through Round 1, correctly spelling "furan," then succeeded in Round 2. He then moved into Round 3, which was a written test to qualify for the event's quarterfinals. Keffer's mother, Laura, said he came only two points from that threshold. "He was close," she said, noting that he and those eliminated at that point tied for 100th place overall. "He was 100th in the 100th. Our goal this year was to make it through rounds 1 and 2 and we accomplished that." The spelling bee is open to fourth through eighth graders and, with three years of eligibility ahead of him, Joseph has the opportunity to try again. "Oh, yes," he said, when asked if he plans to compete again in the next school year. His mother summed up the family's experience. "Being here for the 100th spelling bee, being at the national spelling bee is something I never dreamed we'd do and it has been very special to be a part of it," Laura Keffer said. "We are very proud of Joseph and what he has accomplished." Keffer is the third Lawrence County speller to make it to the national bee this century. Last year, Meredith Dunlap, of Fairland Middle School, competed in the event as a seventh grader. (Dunlap came in second at this year's county and regional bees). In 2010, Felicity Jenkins, then a sixth grader at Symmes Valley, made the trip to nationals. The bee capped off a strong year for Keffer. He was also part of the fifth grade Quiz Bowl team, which won the Lawrence County ESC's talented and gifted tournament at the end of the school year, while, a year prior, he was on the winning team for the ESC's Math Pong event. You Might Like News Proctorville woman killed in WV crash Education FLE kindergarteners celebrate with Wyngate residents (WITH GALLERY) Business Azure Standard announces $9.3M investment in county News Ashland woman killed in UTV accident
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Berks' Best 2025 mathematics winner: Jasper Platt intrigued by the theoretical side of math
For a lot of students with a passion for math, it's all about the numbers. They love the structure of it, the consistency of it. They love the formulas, that one plus one will always equal two. For Jasper Platt, however, there's something else about math that really intrigues him. 'I want to understand the why,' the Wyomissing High School senior said. Platt has been interested in math for as long as he can remember. And while he was initially drawn to the subject for the typical reasons, as he learned more about it his focus evolved. 'For me, it's more about the theoretical aspect of it,' he explained. 'It's not, 'Oh, I love solving problems.' It's about how, for a lot of it, it acts more like a system that can be understood holistically.' That perspective, that dedication to seeking a deeper understanding of the topic, has earned Platt the recognition as the winner of the 2025 Berks' Best mathematics award. 'I feel very honored,' Platt said. 'I try not to evaluate myself based upon achievement, but I feel very honored to receive the award.' Meghan Tierney, the mathematics department chair at Wyomissing, said Platt is well-deserving of the award. 'In my years as an educator, I have rarely encountered a student with Jasper's combination of raw talent, passion and determination in mathematics,' she said in a letter supporting his nomination. 'His academic record, extracurricular achievements, and self-driven learning make him an ideal candidate for this recognition.' Platt said his math journey started at a young age. He recalled being in fourth grade in upstate New York and spending time at the home of a friend whose dad was a college math professor. Both the friend, who was doing trigonometry as a fourth grader, and the dad helped foster Platt's burgeoning interest in math. 'He definitely inspired me and helped me be able to see it as something that's interesting,' he said of his friend. 'And if I was working on homework at his house, his dad would help explain it to me and help me see there's definitely more to it.' Platt's interest in the theoretical side of math has also translated into another area. An avid reader of philosophy, he is fascinated by the proof-based subject of analytical philosophy. He plans to study both topics when he heads off to the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. The school actually has a logic major that combines math and philosophy. As for a career plan, Platt said he's still working on that. 'I'm kind of just going to mess around with a few things,' he said. Along with mathematics, Platt also has a variety of other interests. He plays lacrosse, took part in Model U.N., was involved in Wyomissing's drama department, is a member of the Quiz Bowl team, took part in MiniTHON, is a docent at Penn Museum and enjoys hiking. Related Articles * May 16, 2025\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Berks' Best 2025 Taylor Seitzinger Community Service and Leadership winner: Garrett Hyneman has dedicated his life to helping others\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009 * May 16, 2025\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Berks' Best 2025 communications winner: Sydney Guida has a passion for storytelling\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009 * May 16, 2025\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Berks' Best 2025 career and technical education winner: Devra Longacre headed toward bright future\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009 * May 16, 2025\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Berks' Best 2025 overview: 418 students nominated for 11 awards\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
ESC previews Quiz Bowl to 5th, 6th grades
May 12—Talented and gifted students from five of the county's school districts came together on Tuesday to get a preview of a possible academic extracurricular activity that awaits in middle school and high school. The Lawrence County ESC hosted a TAG Quiz Bowl tournament at Ohio University Southern, with teams facing off and answering questions ranging from history to science to math to pop culture and more. Gretta Taylor, student services coordinator for the ESC, said she penned the questions herself, to illustrate to the students what a Quiz Bowl tournament could be like, should they be interested in taking part "And I tried to make them fun," she said. The teams were comprised of fifth and sixth graders, she said. The teams competed one on one throughout the morning and, when the event was finished, wins were tallied up and Chesapeake emerged as the victor, winning the traveling trophy from last year's champions, Dawson-Bryant. Should Chesapeake's students decide to pursue Quiz Bowl in coming years, they could boast a formidable lineup, as their team at Tuesday's event included both Lawrence County Science Fair first place winner Gunner Davidson and Joseph Keffer, winner of this year's Lawrence County Spelling Bee, who has qualified to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the end of the month. Taylor conducts the science fair and spelling bee for the ESC, which also hosts Quiz Bowl tournaments at the middle and high school level. Rock Hill, Symmes Valley, Chesapeake, Ironton and Dawson-Bryant students took part in Tuesday's event.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Burges HS student to compete in national Quiz Bowl tournament in Chicago
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — An El Paso high-school student will represent the Sun City in a national competiton for High Q or Quiz Bowl. Brian Moore, a senior from Burges High School, will compete in the 2025 NAQT (National Academic Quiz Tournaments) Individual Player National Championship Tournament (IPNCT) on April 6 in Chicago. The tournament pits high-school students from across the country against each other in a buzzer-based game that tests student's knowledge in an array of topics. The topics can include history, art, zoology, and everything in between. 'How quiz bowl works is that it's basically like super fast trivia. It's fast paced. If you know an answer, you have to buzz in. If you don't do it, then the other team or the other player has a chance to get it right. So it's about being fast and also being comprehensive,' Moore said. The game tests student's reflexes. A quiz host will pose a question, and the student who presses the buzzer first is given the first opportunity to respond with the correct answer. They also get bonus points if they press down on the buzzer before the host is finished asking the question and respond correctly. Quiz Bowl is usually a team game but this tournament tests players individually. Moore said he will compete with a field of about 250 quiz bowl players from around the country. For more information about the format of the tournament, you can go to the NATQ's website. Moore has been a part of the Burges Quiz Bowl team since his junior year. He's said he's acquired plenty of experience in the competitions by participating in several High Q competitions against other high schools in El Paso. 'At first, I was not the best player in the world. It was really hard because the rapid fire nature of the game is very tricky. But I do know a lot of facts about events like history and geography. And I wanted to put that to the test,' Moore said. But he also said that the tournament in Chicago will be the first time he competes individually and without his teammates. He said, however, that he's confident he will be prepared because his coach Mrs. Urcelay, and his teammates have helped him refine his skills as a Quiz Bowl player. 'In the competition, I try to tune out what's in the background, pinpoint what I call laser hearing. I call it laser hearing because I look out for key words when they're ringing off questions,' Moore said. 'It's more or less just being cognizant, paying attention, and waiting for that moment to buzz in when you know the answer. Even if you buzz in and it's wrong, there's a saying, 'It's always better to buzz in and be wrong, than to not do it even though you knew the answer.'' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Chesapeake Middle student wins county science fair
Mar. 1—South Point student takes second place There were a few obstacles in the way, schedule-wise, in getting there, but a Gunner Davidson took home the big trophy on Tuesday for this year's Lawrence County Science Fair. First, the initial date for the county fair was canceled, due to snow, then, another complication came up when the makeup date was scheduled for students to present their projects, the following Monday. Davidson's family had scheduled a vacation to Disney World, and, according to Lawrence County ESC superintendent Eric Floyd, the fair meant so much to Davidson, he nearly backed out of the trip. But, after talking with the ESC, the family was able to make arrangements for the Chesapeake Middle School sixth grader to present his project to judges, which included Floyd, via video from his family's hotel room. "He had a video and answered questions," Floyd said. Davidson's project, "What cleans wrestling mats best?" tested various types of cleaners, and not only earned him the first place trophy, but also a score of 40 and a Superior ranking, enabling him to go onto the district fair at The University of Rio Grande later this school year. Coming in second was Ciara McComas, a fifth grader at South Point Elementary School, for "The Amazing Rodent Race," in which she ran a rat through a maze. She also earned a Superior ranking at the county level and a score of 39.6. Overall, 30 students took part in the county fair, after earning an Excellent or Superior ranking at their individual school fair. Third place went to Caleb Black, of Chesapeake Middle School, a seventh grader, for "Which fertilizer will make soybeans grow faster?" The project earned him a score of 39 and a Superior ranking. Fourth place was awarded to Waylon Mitchell, a Burlington Elementary School fifth grader, for "Electromagnetism," with a score of 38.8 and a Superior ranking. And fifth place was Shade Gibson, a sixth grader at Chesapeake Middle School, for "Bridge Busters," which earned him a Superior ranking and a score of 38.3 Students who earn a Superior or Excellent ranking can go onto the district fair. Other Superior rankings were: Korie Copley, Parker Hamlin, Landon Pauley and Chase Hamlin. Excellent rankings were Hunter Hollback, Cheyenna Stallo, Lyndlee Edwards, Kennedy Johnson, Kingston Pickett, Raylee Skeens, Nahla Robinson, Jadiana Gilliam, Elliot Thackers, Noah Shafer, Sawyer Hutchinson, Myles Joy, Kylee Dople, Bryer Lee, Easton Wood, Avery Crager, Addison Boggs, Jaylee Caynar, Brantlee Shafer, Braelynn Browning, Rylan Deem and Paislee Jones. The fair is organized by the ESC, who also handles the county's spelling bee and Quiz Bowl tournaments.
