The winning formula at Quiz Bowl combines a knowledge of economics, geography and math with working fast, together.
By DONNA WINCHESTER
Published April 7, 2004
SEMINOLE - For the second year in a row, a lightning-quick team from Safety Harbor Middle School beat second-place finisher Southside Fundamental Middle School to win the annual Economics Expo Quiz Bowl.
Kennedy Middle School earned third place, followed by Coachman, fourth; Osceola, fifth; and sixth-place Seminole.
The seven-member Safety Harbor team was first on the scoreboard at Thursday's match, answering the initial question before former Pinellas social studies supervisor Betty Douglas had finished reading it.
To the amazement of more than 100 cheering parents, teachers and classmates assembled at Osceola High School - and to the dismay of teams from five other schools - the students racked up a near-record number of points in the 1 1/2-hour competition that tests middle school children's knowledge of economics, geography and mathematics.
An annual event in Pinellas County for 17 years, Quiz Bowl was created to allow teachers to expand on the economics lessons students learn in the classroom. Despite crowded schedules, 12 middle schools entered this year's event. Six teams emerged as finalists in a March 11 semifinals match.
The Safety Harbor team, which included Blaise Collura, Mark Diba, James Dirks, Pratik Gudihal, Aaron Joseph, Katie Mess and Karan Sagar, began practicing last fall. Three coaches guided them through rigorous drills that included studying tests from previous contests and answering tough questions under deadline pressure.
Tension mounted through multiple rounds of finals competition that required students to reel off facts and occasionally refer to handouts for additional information. Joni Jonas, the district's supervisor of business, technology and workforce education, kept score with help from social studies secretary Celette Williams. Social studies supervisor Randy Lightfoot served as judge.
The Southside team, which included Jessica Allen, Megan Kelly, Kirby Kreider, John Paul, Yoshiki Revell, Billy Siegler and Marie Hankinson, took its second-place finish in stride.
"It feels like all our hard work paid off," said Kirby Kreider, 14. "It feels like we accomplished something."
Kirby's mother, Patti, left work early to join her husband, Paul, at the match. They were impressed that the students, who studied for three hours each day of spring break, kept smiling as the Safety Harbor team repeatedly beat them to the buzzer.
Jessica Allen, 13, said that part of getting ready for Quiz Bowl was knowing there would be no time to criticize a team member who gave an incorrect answer.
"You have to move on even if you get something wrong," she said. "You have to work together."
"There's no time to worry about it," added 14-year-old Marie Hankinson, who had won Southside's PRIDE award for science two nights earlier.
While a couple of the teams wore T-shirts specially created for Quiz Bowl, the Southside students wore maroon-and-gold shirts belonging to their favorite teachers. Yoshiki Revell, 14, said wearing his guidance counselor's shirt gave him an extra edge.
"It's not enough just to be smart," he said. "You have to have that little bit of luck to push you through life."
Safety Harbor, Southside and Kennedy received plaques engraved with team members' names for their first-, second- and third-place finishes. Their coaches received cash awards of $100 to $200.
QUIZ BOWL WINNERS
FIRST PLACE
Safety Harbor Middle School, 276 points: Blaise Collura, Mark Diba, James Dirks, Pratik Gudihal, Aaron Joseph, Katie Mess, Karan Sagar
SECOND PLACE
Southside Fundamental Middle School, 200 points: Daren Miller, Jessica Allen, Megan Kelly, Kirby Kreider, John Paul, Yoshiki Revell, Billy Siegler, Marie Hankinson
THIRD PLACE
Kennedy Middle School, 158 points: Walter Cornnell, T. Jefferson Davis, Martha Hinrichs, Elizabeth Keller, Michael Litrell, Vincent McCoige, Jacob Sperber
FOURTH PLACE
Osceola Middle School, 138 points: Dana Covert, Stephen Cundiff, Matthew Guenther, Kayla Jindra, Adam Palermo, Joel Quattlebaum, Katrinka Swenson
FIFTH PLACE
Coachman Fundamental Middle School, 123 points: Kellie Fridlund, Brian Kagay, Jeannine Newcomer, Soma Nwokolo, Ashley Rock, Sanjeet Singireddy, Jamie Totten
SIXTH PLACE
Seminole Middle School, 95 points: Sean Darr, Alicia Nassar, Andrew Nguyen, Obi Okonkwo, Justin Sanak, Eric Yuan, Sam Zakira.
