For many, seeing themselves on screen is a dream, but few achieve that goal. Students who compete in the Academic Challenge are among those who realize that dream. Academic Challenge is a team-based trivia competition featuring questions across various subjects, from core school topics like science and math to niche areas such as pop culture and operas. Similar to Jeopardy!, two teams of four students each represent their schools and answer questions in a trivia-style format, buzzing in when they believe they have the correct answer. This event is televised, with competitions streaming live on Channel 5 News.
Lakewood High School’s Academic Challenge team had an outstanding season, finishing with a perfect 9-0 record at the recent Rocky River tournament. The team has consistently achieved high scores, having swept the region for the past three years.
“This is our third year being first place in the Rocky River Tournament, and we went 9-0 this year, so I’m quite proud of all of us for that,” Alessio Matera said.
While Academic Challenge is played in teams and your score contributes to the team’s total, each member also has an individual score based on the number of questions they answer. Although Lakewood’s Academic Challenge team performs well overall, the number of questions answered by each member is crucial for their individual scores.
“At the state level, we are more in the middle; I think we are maybe 10th out of 20 teams. But I think Shannon scored within the top four,” Autumn Sabin explains regarding the inner workings of Academic Challenge.
Shannon’s impressive performance in the Academic Challenge at the state level has earned her a selection to compete in the National Quiz Bowl in April. To qualify for the NAQT or the National Quiz Bowl, participants must achieve a specific percentage of points from toss-up questions.
“Each game in the NAQT has 20 toss-ups, you have to get a certain percentage of points per toss-up…I think in my most recent tournament, I was at 77 points per toss-up,” Katzenberger said.
Being nominated to compete in the NAQT is a significant honor, as achieving a high individual percentage of points from toss-ups is quite challenging. Toss-ups are questions that can be interrupted before they are fully read if you believe you know the correct answer. Interrupting a toss-up can earn you more points, but it also carries higher risks.
Lakewood has performed exceptionally well in Academic Challenge tournaments this year and in previous years, thanks to our strong team with a broad range of knowledge. What makes Academic Challenge interesting and appealing to many students across various schools is its diverse focus; the questions encompass not only science, math, and literature but also topics such as Broadway, sports, and film. This inclusivity means that anyone with expertise in any area has a chance to shine.
“Yes, math and science are important, but we really need people who know a lot about literature or pop culture because all kinds of questions come up, and there’s something for everybody,” Katzenberger said.
Students with diverse knowledge are essential for a team like Academic Challenge, as relying on a single individual to understand every subject is challenging. This is why Katenberger was selected as the team captain and chosen to compete in the National Quiz Bowl.
“Not everybody is like Shannon…[she] has a knowledge of everything,” Sabin said. “I would say Shannon has carried the team this year. She really has that knowledge that blows people’s minds.”
While Katzenberger is a standout on her team, graduation is fast approaching, and Academic Challenge is seeking new students interested in trivia or competition. Although it focuses on academic subjects and core knowledge, Academic Challenge quizzes participants on a variety of topics beyond just academics.
