Area senior high students advance to state Knowledge Bowl meet

A team from Pequot Lakes (pictured above) placed first at the regional Knowledge Bowl event held February 21 at Central Lakes College in Staples. They, along with three other top teams, will advance to the Minnesota

Student teams from Pequot Lakes, Pierz, Nevis, and Aitkin school districts will advance to the state-level Knowledge Bowl competition after placing top four in the regional senior high event this February.

A team from Pequot Lakes placed first, with Pierz taking second, Nevis third, and Aitkin fourth. All four move on to the Minnesota State Knowledge Bowl tournament, which will be held April 10-11 at Cragun’s Resort near Brainerd.

Crysta Christensen, Sourcewell student academic coordinator, said competitive spirit was high as 30 student teams from 17 different school districts rose and fell in the rankings throughout the day, each vying for a chance to advance.

"The atmosphere was electric," Christensen said. "These students aren’t just knowledgeable – they’re excited to test themselves and compete, and eager to share what they know. They may have been answering trivia questions, but there’s nothing trivial about the passion these teams displayed."

Knowledge Bowl, sponsored locally by Sourcewell, is for students in grades 6-12. Each team of students works to answer questions on many topics including history, math, science, and literature. Students test their memory, critical thinking, reflexes, and teamwork in a series of events including written questions plus real-time “buzz in”-style quiz rounds.

Competitions are held throughout late winter and early spring, with top teams in grades 9-12 advancing to the Minnesota State Knowledge Bowl competition in April.