How well do you know your West Virginia History? Well, the experts were put to the test Tuesday at the state Culture Center in Charleston.
Twenty-four, four member teams of 8th graders from all across the state competed in the 2013 West Virginia History Bowl State Championship.
They had to make it through some stiff competition at the local and regional level to make to the finals. Cassie Stewart, a student at Andrew Jackson Middle School in Kanawha County says her team has been practicing since October.
“We just studied every night,” Stewart said. “We came up with catchy little sayings that we’ll say in our head that will hopefully bring back memories when we’re asked the questions.”
And that technique seemed to be working for Stewart as she and her team went into their second round.
The moderator asked the question, “Which labor organizer was known as the miner’s angel?”
Stewart was quick on the buzzer with her answer. “Mother Jones!” And she was right.
Louisa Smith, Stewart’s teammate, says preparing for the history bowl wasn’t work. For her, it was fun.
“I do enjoy this! I’ve never loved history more,” she said. “I just think it’s so interesting to know all of this stuff about your state.”
First Lady Joann Tomblin was one of the moderators for the event. She says she’s seriously impressed with all the knowledge the students have.
“They are pretty sharp and I think they could out do me in a lot of these areas!”
Andrew Jackson History Bowl Coach Jim Hill says these 8th graders have crammed thousands of facts into their heads. But it takes a special students to compete on the history bowl level.
“It’s not only about knowing the information,” explained Hill. “They’ve got that down pat. It’s about recognizing the phrasing of the question.”
Shady Spring Team-1 from Raleigh County took home the championship.