April 26, 2017

 News…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cameron High School Team One in Marshall County won the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s (WVDCH) eighth annual West Virginia State History Bowl Championship held Tuesday, April 25, at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex.

South Middle School Team One in Monongalia County was the runner-up in the competition that included 24 teams of eighth graders from 15 middle schools in 14 counties across the state.

The all-tournament team, made up of students who demonstrated exceptional knowledge and teamwork during the day-long tournament, included Rachel Amburose, Shady Spring Middle School Team Two, Shady Spring, Raleigh County; Jonathan Cook, Summersville Middle School Team One, Summersville, Nicholas County; Connor Howard, Cameron High School Team One, Cameron, Marshall County; Daniel Larimer, South Middle School Team One, Morgantown, Monongalia County; and Brody Smith, South Middle School Team Two, Morgantown, Monongalia County.

Reagan Gray of Cameron High School Team One was named the Most Valuable Player.

“We introduced the West Virginia History Bowl in 2010 and this annual program grows larger and reaches more students in our state every year,” said WVDCH Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith. “I appreciate the time that the students, teachers and parents spend studying together and getting ready to compete. Year after year, I am amazed at the energy and enthusiasm the students show to want to learn more about the people, places and events that have shaped the Mountain State.”

The double-elimination tournament includes lightning rounds and team rounds featuring questions about state and county history, culture, heritage, tourism, geography, government and sports prepared by the staff of the division’s Archives and History section.  Eighth graders in public, private and home-school education programs are eligible to compete on the four-person teams.

The Archives and History staff has developed more than 2,000 questions for its online Quick Quizzes. Teams preparing for the tournament could use the Archives and History Daily Trivia and Quick Quizzes as helpful tools from the division’s website, www.wvculture.org/history.

The championship team, Cameron High School Team One, included students Reagan Gray, Connor Howard, Scott Pekula and Maddie Sleeth.

The runner-up team, South Middle School Team One, included students Gabrielle Baker, Sarah Eaglen, Daniel Larimer and Hunter Schaefer.

The third-place team, South Middle School Team Two, included students Madison Hunter, Samuel Ryan, Alyssa Seagraves and Brody Smith.

The fourth-place team, Shady Spring Middle School Team 2, included students Rachel Amburose, Mia Bennett, Kelsey Gross and Allie Minor.

Competitors included the following teams:
Cameron High School (2 teams)                                                        Cameron, Marshall County
East Hardy Early/Middle School                                                       Baker, Hardy County
Jackson Middle School (2 teams)                                                        Vienna, Wood County
Keyser Middle School                                                                         Keyser, Mineral County
Madison Middle School (2 teams)                                                      Madison, Boone County
Mountain View Elementary/ Middle School (2 Teams)                    Union, Monroe County
Pendleton County Middle/High School                                            Franklin, Pendleton County
Peterstown Middle School (2 teams)                                                  Peterstown, Monroe County
Shady Spring Middle School (2 teams)                                              Shady Spring, Raleigh County
Sissonville Middle School                                                                  Charleston, Kanawha County
South Middle School (2 teams)                                                          Morgantown, Monongalia County
Summers Middle School                                                                    Hinton, Summers County
Summersville Middle School (2 teams)                                              Summersville, Nicholas County
St. Joseph Parish School                                                                     Martinsburg, Berkeley County
Wayne Middle School (2 teams)                                                         Wayne, Wayne County

For more information, contact Matt McGrew, tournament director and education coordinator for Archives and History, at (304) 558-0230.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts with Gayle Manchin, cabinet secretary. The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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