BY ELLIANA DENTON AND MARISSA HOLLON
Fueling anticipation with each question and building confidence with each tap of the buzzer, students from around the nation compete against each other in a race of intelligence and knowledge.
For nearly 30 years, Tippecanoe High School students have been allowed to join the academic Quiz Team. A successful club currently supervised by staff advisor Joe Bellas, the Quiz Team allows students to learn about different cultural and historical knowledge and create a tight knit community with peers of similar interests. Each season, the team builds a relationship with each other as they compete all around the state. Joe Bellas comments on the camaraderie and teamwork he has seen: “I've been fortunate to have students who are very dedicated to the Quiz Team and who not only participate but inspire others to prepare and be a part of the team.” This year was no different, and the team has had a season full of many accomplishments.
The team was busy at work with this year's season starting last September. This past year’s team was home to 14 members, including Quiz Team captain Sadhil Mehta. They all put in months of work and practice to prepare for the season, and their time together created a strong bond between the members and improved their teamwork. Mehta says that, in the past year, they “communicated together as a group much better than before” and that they “are great friends with each other and [they] enjoy spending time together.”
The varsity quiz team has had an especially incredible season, achieving a record of 77-44 and claiming the title of MVL Co-Champions. They are also proud OAC (Ohio Academic Competition) Northwest Regional Winners. Furthermore, they placed 6th out of 18 at the NAQT (National Academic Quiz Team) State Competition this past March. One of their most notable accomplishments from this previous season was winning the second-place spot in the Small School Division at the National History Bowl in Washington, DC. Captain Sadhil Mehta also notes how they “finished [with a] ranking of 20 out of over 200 teams in the state.” The team truly concluded the season strong.
With all the work that these students put in, the Quiz Team provides many opportunities. Along with expanding their academic and cultural knowledge, the Quiz Team has had the chance to travel to Washington, DC, for the National History Bowl for the past three years. In past seasons, the team has also traveled to locations such as Mount Vernon, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. School advisor Joe Bellas is especially proud of the opportunities it provides these students, saying, “When I've been able to take students to some of these significant historical locations, it adds to what I can cover in the classroom and broadens the students' horizons.”
The Tippecanoe Quiz Team can proudly look back at another astounding season full of incredible accomplishments. They have achieved much this past season, from winning several local and statewide championships and placing at various invitationals to growing as a team. Students from this year's season, as well as incoming team members, are excited to see where next year takes them, and all those looking on cannot wait to see what the future holds for them.