Let's get quizzical

Ninety-six was a lucky number for the winners of the Otago Daily Times Extra! current events quizzes in Timaru last night.

The winning teams for both the years 5-6 and years 7-8 competitions scored 96 points out of a possible 100.

More than 200 pupils from Central South Island schools competed in the quizzes in the Timaru Boys High School hall, in front of a supportive crowd of nearly 100.

Each three-person team answered questions about current affairs, which included naming prominent people and identifying flags.

It was a nail-biting competition for both quizzes.

A team from Fenwick School, Oamaru, won the competition for year 5-6 pupils, but did not find it easy.

At the end of the 10-round competition, both the Fenwick team and a team from Allenton School, Ashburton, scored 96 points out of a possible 100, calling for a six-question tie-breaker, won by Fenwick.

Eli McLay (10), Kelvin Woock (10) and Joshua Hardy (11) were very nervous during the final round.

"We were shaking and trembling," Kelvin said.

Fenwick School teacher Belinda Brosnan was "extremely proud of the boys".

"It was a fabulous effort. They're a focused bunch."

Allenton School teams were second and third with 95 points.

Fifty-four teams competed in the year 7-8 quiz.

By the 10th round, only three points separated the top eight teams.

But after a round of reading comprehension, in which pupils were instructed to read the ODT and answer questions, a team from Ashburton Intermediate took the top spot.

The winning team, which scored 96 points, comprised Tim Hanrahan (12), Stacey Hopwood (12) and Katie Hollings (12).

They said the competition was nerve-racking.

"We were nervous waiting at the end," Stacey said.

Longbeach School (Ashburton) came second, with 95 points, and St Josephs School, from Pleasant Point was third, (94).

The winners were awarded a plaque, medals, pens and book voucher prizes.

Organiser Ivan Behrnes said the pupils' performances were excellent.

The quizzes were a good way of encouraging pupils to take an interest in current events, he said.

"It gets pupils to learn how to dissect news and have an opinion about it."

The ODT Extra! quizzes were part of the ODT Class Act programme supporting education in schools.

Extra! is a monthly curriculum-based publication which gives pupils the opportunity to have their work read by their peers from the 250 subscribed schools.

ODT Extra! quiz competitions have been held in Christchurch (for Canterbury schools) and Cromwell (for Central Otago schools).

The quiz for year 9-10 pupils will be held at Timaru Boys High School hall tonight.

- Cerisse Denhardt