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Battle of the Brains
Bogie Takes Second Place in Academic Team Match
By Abby Baker
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Lakewood, Clearwater, Largo and Boca Ciega High School compete for a first match winner.
It’s after school hours, but on Thursday, October 7, the Boca Ciega High School library is packed with students and faculty in a Jeopardy!-style battle of wits that is the first Pinellas County Schools Academic Team match of the season.
Each team (Lakewood, Clearwater, Largo and Boca Ciega High School) has a captain, a buzzer and a graphing calculator with the goal of answering the most questions correctly – and a fear of deducted points for an incorrect answer.
In all, Largo High dominated the competition with 265 points. Boca Ciega followed with 145, with Lakewood tight on their heels at 115 and Clearwater hanging behind at 80.
It’s Bogie team captain and senior Olivia Miles’ first year as captain, and she and faculty team coach Lisa Erazmus have their work cut out for them.
“Most of the team from last year were seniors and graduated,” Miles says. “I love a nice challenge.”
The questions range from triangle statistics to side effects of scurvy, each one followed by either whisper screams amongst teammates or the immediate slap of buzzers.
The question-reader is former Bogie English teacher Lesley Cooper, who won $56,000 on the show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” in 2012.
“I myself think nerds are cool,” Cooper said.
The first question: Which United States President sent troops to Little Rock, Arkansas?
The Schedule
Want to watch the brainy fun? Check out these upcoming Academic Team matches.
Thursday, October 21, Osceola High School @ 3:30 p.m. Boca Ciega, East Lake, Gibbs High School.
Thursday, November 4, Seminole High School @ 3:30 p.m. Boca Ciega, Palm Harbor, Northeast High School.
Thursday, November 18, Pinellas Park High School @ 3:30 p.m. Boca Ciega, Tarpon Springs, Dunedin High School.
Thursday, December 2, Lakewood High School @ 3:30 p.m. Boca Ciega, Seminole, Clearwater High School.
Thursday, January 13, Pinellas Park High School @ 3:30 p.m. Countryside, Hollins, Boca Ciega High School.
Thursday, January 27, Lakewood High School @ 3:30 p.m. Boca Ciega, St. Petersburg, Hollins High School.
