April 16, 2012

 News…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Sixteen teams of eighth-graders from across West Virginia will compete Tuesday, April 24, 2012, for the chance to turn their knowledge of state history, culture and heritage into a championship title during the 3rd annual West Virginia State History Bowl at the Culture Center in Charleston.

“This will be an exciting competition again this year as some of the best history students in the state come to Charleston for the chance to take home the History Bowl trophy,” said West Virginia Division of Culture and History Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith.

The double-elimination tournament that includes a lightning round and a team round features questions about state and county history, culture, heritage and tourism prepared by the staff of the Division’s Archives and History Section.

Regional competitions held in February and March involved more than 100 four-member teams from 40 counties. The champion and runner-up teams who advanced to the state competition include Cameron High School in Marshall County (two teams), Chapmanville Middle School in Logan County, Edison Middle School in Wood County, Fairview Middle School in Marion County, Frankfort Middle School in Mineral County, Horace Mann Middle School in Kanawha County, Jackson Middle School in Wood County, Moorefield Middle School in Hardy County, Nuttall Middle School in Fayette County, Shady Spring Middle School in Raleigh County (two teams), Sissonville Middle School in Kanawha County, Summersville Middle School in Nicholas County, Suncrest Middle School in Monongalia County, and Williamson Middle School in Mingo County.

Each member of the team earning first place at the state competition will receive $500, second-place winners will receive $250 apiece, third-place winners $125, and fourth-place winners $50.  The Division also awards prizes for the tourney MVP and all-tournament team.
To prepare for the competition students are encouraged to study more than 1,800 questions available on the Division’s website, including daily trivia questions, quick quizzes and a Golden Horseshoe study guide.

“This tournament has really taken off thanks to the support of school superintendents, principals, and teachers all across the state, as well as the students and their parents,” Reid-Smith said. “During our first year, we had just the state tournament with 18 teams in Charleston. This year, we had more than 100 teams from 40 counties participating in regional tournaments, and we hope to have all 55 counties participating next year.”

For more information about the West Virginia History Bowl visit http://www.wvculture.org/history/historybowl.html or contact Bryan Ward, tournament director and assistant director of West Virginia Archives and History, at bryan.e.ward@wv.gov or (304) 558-0230.

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The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary. The Division, led by Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the Division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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