(NDG Wire) – In a battle of the brains, beating the buzzer and winning points was the focus of the 2011 African American Male Academic Bowl – the only event of its kind in Texas. Shouts of “I’ll take African American history for 40 points!” or “We’ll choose science for 10 points!” rang through the halls in the School of Management Building at the University of Texas at Dallas several weeks ago until two team champions and two team runners-up were crowned.
This exciting event – a cross between the academic bowls of TV from 40 years ago and today’s ever-popular Jeopardy – brought together a total of 23 fourth-/fifth- and sixth-/seventh-grade teams representing several area elementary and middle schools who competed to win their divisions.
Teams representing the two age groups demonstrated their knowledge and skills. They beat the clock/buzzer, answered questions and scored points in five categories: African-American history; science; mathematics; African-American “firsts”; and geography.
The winning “Express 3” team members for fourth/fifth grade, representing Jerry Junkins Elementary School in Carrollton, were Ife Onubogu, Mauricio Sneed, Myles Boateng and Robert Mitchell; runners-up Armondo Griffin, Kenan Poole, Tylan Foreman and Kirk Riley were the “Express 2” team, also representing Junkins Elementary.
The winning sixth/seventh-grade team, “Faith Cumberland Presbyterian Church,” included members Jihad Thomas, Antwoine Yarbrough and Solomon Thomas, who all attend the KIPP School in Dallas; and Jaryon Johnson, who attends St. Anthony Academy in Dallas. Runners-up “Born to Lead” sixth/seventh-grade team members were Rahsuan Stewart, Marlund Harvey, Christian Washington and Julius Hill. Stewart attends Bush Middle School in Irving; Harvey and Washington attend Holmes Middle School in Dallas; Brown is enrolled at Kennemer Middle School in Duncanville; and Hill attends Greiner Middle School in Dallas.
Partners for the program included the Dallas County Community College District (which created the bowl last year), the University of Texas at Dallas, Project Still I Rise Inc., State Sen. Royce West’s office, Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities, National Society of Black Engineers, Merit Provisions, AT&T, Nationwide Insurance, the University of Texas at Austin, Jackson State University and Time Warner Cable.
For information, contact David Robinson, the event’s director, who also serves as coordinator of outreach for DCCCD, at (214) 378-1728.
