Seventh-graders give their best at inaugural diocesan Scholar Bowl
Jacob Stewart brushed up on a lot of the basics before representing his school in the diocese’s first-ever Seventh Grade Scholar Bowl in Jefferson City.
The most important of these things turned out to be teamwork.
“You rely on your teammates more than you think,” said Jacob, a seventh-grader at St. Thomas the Apostle School in St. Thomas.
“You’re a team for a reason,” he noted. “We got better at that as we went along.”
More than 500 seventh-graders from Catholic schools throughout the diocese attended the inaugural Scholar Bowl, organized by Catholic school principals and the diocesan Catholic Schools Office.
The idea for the event came from the recently-convened Diocesan Advisory Student Council.
The Scholar Bowl drew representatives from each school into one of four teams, which vied to answer the most questions on an array of topics in a game show format.
St. Joseph Cathedral School in Jefferson City hosted the event in its gymnasium, with the competing teams seated at tables on the stage.
Nancy Shively, principal of Holy Rosary School in Monroe City, kept things lively as the event’s organizer and emcee.
Each team had its own cheering section in the audience.
Twelve of Jacob’s classmates were on hand to roar their encouragement for him and his teammates.
“That was pretty reassuring,” he said.
He got a nice round of applause for naming the geographical barrier between the warring states in the Civil War.
Answer: the Mason-Dixon Line.
Four, two, then one
Thatcher Johnson, a seventh-grader at Holy Family School in Hannibal, was a member of Team D, which won the final round.
“They asked us all sorts of questions from religion, math, geography — lots of things,” said Thatcher.
“We buzzed in if we thought we knew the answer,” he explained. “If we got it right, our team got the points. If we didn’t get it, the other team got a chance to answer and get the points.”
Thatcher had the benefit of about two hours of time to sharpen his recall on the way to Jefferson City.
“I practiced with some trivia questions that my teacher found online,” he said.
At the Scholar Bowl, he correctly answered a couple of questions in the theater category, including “Winnie the Pooh.”
“It was exciting and fun,” he said. “I was also kind of nervous to be in front of so many people.”
Being on stage with several teammates he knew from this past summer’s Aquinas Academy enrichment program helped calm his jitters.
A pause for lunch in Cana Call in the lower level of the Cathedral brought music and plenty of laughter.
“DJ Padre,” also known as Father Paul Clark, chaplain at Helias Catholic High School and diocesan director of vocations and seminarians, brought tunes and energy.
“We did dances like the ‘Cupid Shuffle’ and the ‘Church Clap,’” Thatcher recalled.
After lunch came the Scholar Bowl championship round. Mrs. Shively cajoled the audience to raise a ruckus for both of the finalist teams.
“Four teams, down to two, down to one,” Thatcher noted.
Afterward, Mrs. Shively summoned each of the teams forward to receive their certificates amidst prodigious cheering and applause.
Colorful balloons rained down on the members of Team D, the victors.
“It was wonderful,” said Gina Bailey, principal of St. Joseph Cathedral School.
“The kids were really well behaved,” she said. “I think they had a great time getting together, getting to see each other.
“The students demonstrated virtues we strive to instill: perseverance, humility and respect for one another,” Mrs. Bailey continued. “Each question was an opportunity to embrace the gifts God has given them and to use their knowledge to honor him.
“It was clear his guiding hand was with us today through their enthusiasm and the spirit of teamwork and sportsmanship displayed,” she stated. “It was an awesome day!”
Not just answers
Erin Polson, principal of St. Peter School in Fulton, said the event’s organizers wanted to get students from many schools together to help expand their circles of acquaintance.
“We just like to have them get out and spend some time together outside the class, building those friendships,” she said. “Seeing some other faces and building up camaraderie, some social skills, some public speaking skills.”
St. Peter School’s representative and a five-member cheering squad practiced ahead of time at school to get used to answering questions quickly.
“I enjoyed watching the students sitting in the crowd, whispering answers to each other, seeing which ones they could get right,” said Mrs. Polson.
Leroy Heckemeyer, principal of St. Thomas the Apostle School in St. Thomas, was happy to see the seventh-graders interacting and thriving in such an environment.
“Learning about teamwork when they get to rebound on those questions — that’s important,” he said.
“And just gaining self-confidence themselves — even when you’re out in the audience, you’re thinking, ‘Hey! I know the answer to this one!’” he said. “It’s a good chance for them to pat themselves on the back a bit.”
Mrs. Polson said God was present and making himself well known throughout the event.
“I think he’s helping them move outside their comfort zone a little bit,” she said. “They’re making those face-to-face interactions, learning how to talk to each other outside of a screen, seeing that as a diocese, we’re able to get together and build these relationships and see beyond ourselves,” she said.
Mr. Heckemeyer agreed.
“I believe God is here, encouraging them to have a good time and meet a lot of different people,” he said.
“He was with us at lunch, too,” Mr. Heckemeyer added. “You could tell with the kids interacting with a lot of different people they don’t normally see. It was nice to watch that.”
Lisa Grellner, principal of St. George School in Linn, said the day was an impressive mix of well-behaved young Catholics.
“I think it’s a testament to our diocese that we have this many young people together, having fun, having fellowship, knowing they worship the same God and that he was here watching over us today,” she said.
Sara Hooley, principal of Holy Family School in Hannibal, said diocesan events such as these are an important experience for Catholic school students, especially in such a geographically vast diocese as this.
“Any time our kids get to spend time with other Catholic school students their age and interact with them is a good thing,” she said.
Give God the glory
Erin Vader Ed.D., diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, praised the principals who put in the time and effort to make events such as the Seventh Grade Scholar Bowl happen.
“It’s such a joyful way for these kids to experience what it is to be Church,” she said.
“Having experiences like Sixth Grade Vocation Day, the Seventh Grade Scholar Bowl and the Eighth Grade Mass help our students understand their place within the larger Church,” she stated.
Was God a part of all of this?
“Absolutely!” said Dr. Vader. “God was here watching our students use the talents he gave them, to compete in a joyful, respectful way and to give all the glory to him.”
Go in peace
Thatcher offered some advice to participants in next year’s Scholar Bowl:
“Don’t overthink the answers,” he counseled. “I did that a couple of times, thinking the questions were meaning more than they did. They didn’t!”
Jacob advised cultivating general knowledge in a lot of areas.
“It’s random questions, not just one subject,” he noted.
Mrs. Shively closed out the Scholar Bowl by leading the students in cheers for the event’s organizers, followed by a prayer:
“Good and gracious God, we thank you so much for this opportunity to join together and just have fun in your name. We thank you for these students who represented their schools today so well. Please continue to bless us and help us do your work and be your hands and feet.”
