On February 9th, the Middle School Brain Bowl team competed in the MS Brain Bowl competition. Brain Bowl is a day of competition during which middle school students from the Kanto Plains get together at TIS and demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of topics. This year, there are 18 teams, which creates a more competitive yet friendly atmosphere.
The competition includes several topics. These include science, history, English, math, geography, current events, sport, art, music, and general knowledge. Below is an example of a question that could be given in the competition provided by lead teacher, Mr. Ofstedal. Each team includes four students from various schools, and earns one point for each correct answer. Within these questions, there are a few novelty rounds, which can be naming celebrities (such as the one provided below) or identifying characters based on silhouettes. According to Mr. Ofstedal, “the event is around 4-5 hours of trivia games, and the students have a lot of fun, which is what it is all about”.
In terms of St Mary’s’ performance, the winning team this year did include a member from St Mary’s. As noted before, each team is mixed with different students from different schools, meaning that one school can’t win the whole thing; however, a school can have a student who wins. This year, Ren Bycroft, a student from grade six, was a member of the winning team.
Overall, the event is described as a fun getaway where students can enjoy showcasing their knowledge regarding a variety of topics. Middle school students from the team enhance their knowledge early, so that they can compete at a higher level in high school.
