The West Union High School Academic Team has had a great season up to this point. For each academic team tournament, two teams participate in each match with only four members of each team participating at a time. Each team has a question directed at them to answer first and, if that team gets the answer wrong, the other team has a chance to answer. Then, a toss up question is asked to both teams and whoever buzzes in first has the chance to answer.

The categories from which the questions come are: American Literature, Mathematics, World History, Fine Arts, Life Science, World Literature, United States Government, Economics, Physical Science, Geography, and United States History. The alphabet round follows the category round and finally, the last round starts. For the final round, students are asked questions in the following categories: Mythology, World Religion, Philosophy, Earth Science, Space Science, Social Science, Computer Science, and Current Events.

MacKenzie Smith, WUHS junior, says that the most challenging part about being on the academic team is that, “you never know what kind of question is going to come up and it is awkward when no one knows the answer to such a challenging question.”

Sarah White, WUHS senior, says that the best part about being on the academic team is the “individual effort that I can put forward to benefit my team.”

The students have battled four high schools already and competed against Fairfield and Fayetteville on Tuesday, Nov. 10. So far, the students have won two matches and lost four matches. They did, however, ruin the undefeated record that Fayetteville previously held.

The WUHS Academic Team members include Shruti Nayak, Janson Kramer, Caitlyn Cooper, Kira Gifford, Shannon Runyan, Julia Tackett, Tyler Swearingen, Andrew Sapp, MacKenzie Smith, Jack Crask, Leanna Poynter, Sarah White, and Brandi Taylor. The advisor for the academic team is Mr. Aaron McCann.

The 2015-16 WUHS Academic Team: Back row, from left, Caitlyn Cooper, Kira Gifford, Julia Tackett, Tyler Swearingen, Jack Crask, Janson Kramer, and Mr. Aaron McCann; Front row, from left, Shruti Nayak, Brandi Taylor, Sarah White, MacKenzie Smith, Shannon Runyan, Leanna Poynter, and Andrew Sapp.
https://www.peoplesdefender.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Academic11.jpgThe 2015-16 WUHS Academic Team: Back row, from left, Caitlyn Cooper, Kira Gifford, Julia Tackett, Tyler Swearingen, Jack Crask, Janson Kramer, and Mr. Aaron McCann; Front row, from left, Shruti Nayak, Brandi Taylor, Sarah White, MacKenzie Smith, Shannon Runyan, Leanna Poynter, and Andrew Sapp. Photo by Jamie Puckett

From left, Shruti Nayak, MacKenzie Smith, Tyler Swearingen, and Janson Kramer confer on a challenging question during a recent West Union High School Academic Team competition.
https://www.peoplesdefender.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Academic21.jpgFrom left, Shruti Nayak, MacKenzie Smith, Tyler Swearingen, and Janson Kramer confer on a challenging question during a recent West Union High School Academic Team competition. Photo by Jamie Puckett

By Jamie Puckett