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05-29-09 |Students Across Montana gain knowledge and experience in world affairs issues, Billings Skyview team places fourth at national competition in Washington, D.C.
With support of the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, the World Affairs Council of Montana sponsored and organized an annual "Academic WorldQuest" competition for 30 teams of Montana high school students from across the state. Additionally, Foundation funding helped support the Montana national team’s attendance at the national Academic WorldQuest competition in Washington, D.C. This year’s Montana champion team was from Billings Skyview. The team competed against more than fifty other teams and finished in fourth place at the national level.
The WorldQuest competition tests students' knowledge on international issues, events, geography, and personalities, but according to the Montana national team, the program offers much more. In a letter to the Foundation, the Billings students said, “The Academic WorldQuest was much more than a trivia or knowledge based competition. We were forced to wrestle with reality vs. responsibility, the present vs. the future, national interests vs. world interests, human development vs. the environment, wealth vs. rights, connectivity vs. crime."
In addition to competition among high school students, Academic WorldQuest activity has led to the development of a special curriculum program at a Ravalli county school. This year the program expanded significantly to outlying high schools in rural areas such as Arlee, Drummond, and Troy.
The WorldQuest program is a major element of the World Affairs Council's efforts to promote grassroots awareness of major world issues among our high school students.
The 2009 Billings Skyview High School Academic WorldQuest Team included Ander Landgren, Amanda Zellar, Laramy Ayers, Lance Pedersen, alternate member Brittany LaRoque, and Coach Rich McFate.
For more information on Academic WorldQuest, visit the Montana World Affairs Council’s website at www.montanaworldaffairs.org.
Coach Jim Polk with the first-ever Arlee High WorldQuest team. Foundation funding was used specifically in an effort to develop relationships with rural schools, to help them form teams, and facilitate their preparation and participation in the state competition. |
The Montana national WorldQuest team from Billings Skyview. This was the first year Billings Skyview competed in the events. The students reported that preparation for both the state and national competitions was quite rigorous.
