MADERA RANCHOS — Madera County’s middle school students will put their minds to the test during the 2020 Academic Pentathlon on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 21. This year’s topic: “In Sickness and In Health: A History of Illness and Wellness.”
More than 240 students from 14 schools from throughout Madera County and five students from Visalia will take tests in the area of fine arts, literature, science, social science, and will write an essay.
The Super Quiz will be the final event in this five-event competition and will be held on Saturday, March 21 followed by an awards ceremony.
This year’s Super Quiz will be a collaborative effort. Students in each round will be allowed to discuss the question for 10 seconds and then answer the question independently. Questions will be based on all of the subject areas.
“This is such an appropriate and timely topic with the current worldwide events,” said Dr. Cecilia Massetti, Madera County superintendent of schools. “Students have been working very hard studying and preparing for the competition.”
Each school is allowed one seventh grade and one eighth grade team. Each team may have up to 15 students.
Students must compete in all five events. They studied illness and wellness in art and music, the history of healthcare, the biology of cancer, and read “Fever 1793” by Laurie Halse Anderson.
The Super Quiz will be held at Ranchos Middle School at 9 a.m. on March 21. The awards ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. The public is invited to attend both events.
“We are excited to see students demonstrate their knowledge of a variety of topics on the Super Quiz,” said Dr. Massetti. “We are fortunate to have the opportunity to celebrate their achievements and recognize their efforts at the awards ceremony.”
Participating schools include: Coarsegold Elementary, Eastin-Arcola, Howard Elementary, Jack G. Desmond Middle, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle, Mountain Home Charter, North Fork Elementary, Oak Creek Intermediate, Ranchos Middle, Raymond-Knowles Elementary, Rivergold Elementary, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy, Spring Valley, St. Pauls and Thomas Jefferson Middle Schools.
