Are you ready with all your random Jeopardy knowledge and facts? You’d better be ready; PV Scholar Quiz 2016: Scholars Awaken is coming to Palos Verdes High School in just one short week! To spice up this year’s tournament, students and faculty are both allowed to create teams to compete to be named the PV Scholar Quiz Champions of 2016. With 69 teams initially signed up for the Quiz, 68 have advanced to the final March Madness tournament. This year, Team Sorry will be seeking revenge for their loss to last year’s winners who graduated. Students Duncan Reid, Brian Kaufman, Matt Donahue, and Austin Rule make up the formidable Team Sorry.
How does it work?
You’ve seen the TV quiz show Jeopardy, right? Contestants answer questions in different categories, have a certain amount of time to give their answer, and win points for each correct answer? That’s the one! In the Scholar Quiz, teams of four faculty or students answer questions in three different formats: Lightning Rounds, Toss Up Questions, and Bonus Rounds. Any question asked can be on any number of different topics, no matter the format. In a single match, there are two teams of four students or faculty each, a Reader, a Judge, and a Scorer.
Contestants can expect to see both academic questions, like English or United States History, and more fun or random categories, such as famous quotations or music. Each team is given a placard to raise in order to pose an answer to a question. The first team to raise their placard has the first opportunity to answer the question. The rival team is given an opportunity to answer the same question if the first team fails to answer the question correctly. Either team can answer a Toss Up question, which will lead to a Bonus Round for the team who answers it correctly first. During the Bonus Round, this team is given an opportunity to answer four questions on one central topic, each worth five points for a bonus of up to twenty points for that team. In a Lightning Round, ten questions are given rapid fire to both teams. Each team is only allowed to answer once, but are penalized for questions answered incorrectly. Unlike Jeopardy, where individuals compete with only their own knowledge to support them, teammates are allowed to work together in the Scholar Quiz.
When is it?
PV Scholar Quiz 2016 will take place from March 7th to March 14th. Student teams will compete amongst themselves as will the faculty teams to determine the top teams in those categories. The highly anticipated final round will be held on March 14th to determine the real winners of the Scholar Quiz: students or faculty. But wait…there’s more! The winners will take home a minimum $1000 cash scholarship! Good luck to all contestants and teams – may the F = ma be with you.