News…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. —South Middle School Team One in Monongalia County won the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s seventh annual West Virginia State History Bowl held Tuesday, April 26, at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex.

Cameron High School Team One in Marshall County was the runner-up in the competition that included 24 teams of eighth graders from 17 middle schools in 13 counties from across the state.

The all-tournament team, made up of students who demonstrated exceptional knowledge and teamwork during the day-long tournament, included Ethan DiPasquale, Cameron High School Team One, Cameron, Marshall County; Emma Gray, South Middle School Team Two, Morgantown, Monongalia County; Alijah Kuhn, Cameron High School Team One, Cameron, Marshall County; Maeve Leyden, South Middle School Team One, Morgantown, Monongalia County; and Abby Oliver, Fairview Middle School, Fairview, Marion County. 

Van Tran of South Middle School Team One was named the Most Valuable Player.

“We are proud to host the West Virginia State History Bowl and enjoy the excitement and dedication the eighth-grade students have for these tournaments,” said Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. “We especially appreciate the teachers, parents and advisors who take time to help the students study for the competition. They enjoy the event as much as the students.”

The double-elimination tournament includes lightning rounds and team rounds featuring questions about state and county history, culture, heritage, tourism, geography, government and sports prepared by the staff of the division’s Archives and History section.  Eighth graders in public, private and home-school education programs are eligible to compete on the four-person teams.

The Archives and History staff has developed more than 2,000 questions for its online Quick Quizzes. Teams preparing for the tournament were able to use the Archives and History Daily Trivia and Quick Quizzes as helpful tools from the division’s website, www.wvculture.org/history

The championship team, South Middle School Team One, included students Maeve Leyden, Siena Mowe, Spencer Redelman and Van Tran.

The runner-up team, Cameron High School Team One, included students Levi Carney, Zane Clutter, Ethan DiPasquale and Alijah Kuhn.

The Third-place team, South Middle School Team Two, included students Michael Duong, Emma Gray, Tyler Robertson and Amber Sites.

The Fourth-place team, Fairview Middle School, included students Kaleigh Eddy, Abby Oliver and Sarah Parrish.

Competitors included the following teams:
Belington Middle School                                              Belington, Barbour County
Cameron High School (2 teams)                                 Cameron, Marshall County
East Hardy Early/Middle School                                Baker, Hardy County
Fairview Middle School                                               Fairview, Marion County
Frankfort Middle School                                              Ridgeley, Mineral County
Independence Middle School                                     Sophia, Raleigh County
Jackson Middle School (2 teams)                                Vienna, Wood County
Keyser Middle School                                                  Keyser, Mineral County
Moorefield Middle School                                           Moorefield, Hardy County
Mountaineer Middle School                                        Morgantown, Monongalia County
Shady Spring Middle School (2 teams)                     Shady Spring, Raleigh County
Sissonville Middle School (2 teams)                          Sissonville, Kanawha County
South Middle School (2 teams)                                   Morgantown, Monongalia County
St. Joseph the Worker School                                      Weirton, Hancock County
Summersville Middle School (2 teams)                    Summersville, Nicholas County
Taylor County Middle School                                     Grafton, Taylor County
Wayne Middle School (2 teams)                                 Wayne, Wayne County

For more information, contact Matt McGrew, tournament director and education coordinator for Archives and History, at (304) 558-0230.

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 Commissioner Randall 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.

Follow this link for photos of the championship match. http://wvculture.zenfolio.com/p753670488

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