Chinook Junior High Competes in Academic Challenge

On Wednesday, April 10, the Chinook Junior High travelled to Glasgow to compete in the Academic Challenge competition hosted by Glasgow School District and sponsored by the Eastern Montana Principals' Association.

According to local organizer Susan Erskine, who works for Chinook Schools as a Title I Paraprofessional, the Chinook Junior High has attended this event for at least 30 years and has taken two teams. Each team involves two seventh graders, two eighth graders and a member at large. The students are nominated by their teachers in each of the core classes.

"I ask the teachers to remember that these competitors test all morning and compete in oral rounds in the afternoon. Hopefully with that information, they nominate a well-rounded student who not only tests well but is alert and prepared to participate in the oral round," Erskine said.

This year the teams consisted of Bree Swanson, Morgan Friede, Anna Terry, Tyler Schoen, Lexi Pitkanen, Quentin Edwards, Britton Elliot, Aislinn Handy, Hallie Neibauer, and Samuel Christensen. The first five students in the preceding list are eighth graders and the remaining are seventh graders. Chinook school counsellor Fay Friede travelled with the group as a chaperone.

Chinook competed in Class I, which also included teams from Sidney, Wolf Point, Glasgow, Glendive, Malta, Plentywood, and Poplar. Although nineteen additional schools participated in the Academic Challenge event, they were divided into different classes. Class II consisted of Scobey, Circle, Culbertson, Fairview, Frontier, Bainville, Nashua, East Fairview, Lambert and Savage; while Whitewater, Saco, Froid, Hinsdale, Lustre, Medicine Lake, Opheim, Richey and Westby comprised Class III.

To earn individual scores, the students spent the morning testing in Math, Science, Social Studies, and English. In the afternoon, they competed in the oral rounds against all the other schools in Class I.

For test takers, medals were presented at an awards ceremony at the conclusion of the event, while winning teams in the oral round won trophies.

"Although none of the students placed in any of the divisions or in the oral rounds, it was a great experience for them," Erskine stated.

While this is the only Academic Challenge in which the junior high participates, Erskine believes the experience gives the students an incentive to continue participating at the high school level.

Erskine explained that Chinook used to have to develop and furnish one of the tests to be used by another Class, but in the last couple of years, the tests have been furnished. Using a specific format, retired teachers and test sites now develop the tests. Organizers like Erskine typically help distribute tests, proctor testing, and assist in the scoring room.

"Of the many years I have worked with the Academic Challenge Team, I recall in 2008 when both Chinook teams competed against each other in the oral rounds for the championship. Chinook Team #1 comprised of Taryn Norby, Kayla Hanson, Zeke Sharples, Billy Fischer, and Bren

See Page B6: Academic Challenge

Broadhead competed against Plentywood, Wolf Point, and Malta. Chinook Team #2 featuring Madisen McIntosh, Haley Swank, Angelo Riojas, Geoff Qualls, and Robby Buck competed against Sidney, Glasgow, and Plentywood. After both teams won against their competitors, the two Chinook teams were pitted against one another in the Championship Round. After a closely fought battle, Team #1 won, 100 points to 85. That was a memorable moment and a testament to the talent of that group," Erskine reported.

As stated by Linda Hudyma, Health Enhancement Instructor at Glasgow High School and organizer of the Eastern Montana Principals' Association sponsored event, the purpose of the Academic Challenge competition is two-fold: To challenge students' knowledge and to give students a chance to compete in an academic atmosphere.