James Clemens Scholars Bowl ranks nationally in tourney

MADISON – Students in the Scholars Bowl team at James Clemens High School placed 25th nationally in the 2017 High School National Quiz Bowl Tournament.

The James Clemens team competed at the contest held at the Downtown Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Ga. Team members are Souren Atluri, Ethan Blanton, Sharath Narayan, Nicholas Southern and Daniel Vogler.

“We play in rounds; therefore, there was not one question that sealed the deal but a group effort throughout multiple rounds,” sponsor and chemistry teacher Tiffany Hamilton said. “We advanced to Day Two finals, where we placed 25th place out of 304 teams around the nation.”

During the contest, students faced questions dealing with academics, sports, politics, entertainment and current events.

“Scholars Bowl, also referred to as Quiz Bowl, tests a team’s academic and non-academic intelligence. Therefore, to be competitive, a team must be well rounded in all categories,” Hamilton said. “The quiz bowl’s purpose is not only to test a student’s knowledge but allow him or her to plan and compete as a team.”

“A sponsor will attempt to build a team with at least one expert per category. That student will solely focus on that category. The quiz bowl team’s success rests in a team’s ability to be balanced and trust one another,” Hamilton said.

Any James Clemens student can join the team, but attendance at practices is vital. “Students express categories they feel they’re strongest in and begin to study in those categories,” Hamilton said. “Only four students play at a given time; however, an unlimited number of alternates can exchange throughout the rounds.” (quizbowlpackets.com)

James Clemens Scholars Bowl team doesn’t have officers but has captains. During tournaments, the appointed captains speak on the team’s behalf to the moderator.

The team practices on Tuesday and Friday. “Friday practice is essential because all tournaments are held on Saturdays,” Hamilton said. “During this practice, we decide our starting lineup and discuss who will be responsible for each category, such as current events, entertainment, government or literature/music.”

Hamilton agreed to sponsor Scholars Bowl because of the excitement of seeing students work together toward a common goal. “Students who feel they are not smart academically can shine in other categories, such as entertainment and sports,” she said. “There’s a place for everyone, and the team  everyone.”