The year 7 and 8 teams event was won by John McGlashan College team 8 pupils (from left) Luke Wilson, Sam La-Hood and Harry McDonald. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Winning a national title is a great time to ask your parents for something you have always wanted.

And within minutes of winning the ODT Extra! Grand Final Quiz in Dunedin yesterday, that penny was dropping for several award-winning school pupils.

The year 5 and 6 teams event was won by Andersons Bay School team 9 pupils (from left) Julija Deckic, Josh Keogh and Sam Maley. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Despite being tired from all the brain activity of winning the year 9 and 10 grade of the national competition, Columba College pupils Clara Ballantyne, Flora McKirdy and Lucy Morrison, got a second wind when they were alerted to the possibilities.

No doubt the year 5 and 6 team event winners and the year 7 and 8 winners had similar thoughts, so parents should be wary over the next few days.

The grand final brought together the top 10 teams from each age group of both the ODT Extra! current events and spelling bee quizzes held earlier this year, so they could compete for overall glory.

It was broken down into 10 rounds, covering questions from local and international geography, history, current events, general knowledge, as well as spelling and grammar.

ODT Extra! marketing manager Jeff Paterson said the event attracted about 40 teams from as far away as Christchurch and Winton, but many of the North Island teams, particularly from Auckland, were unable to attend because of Covid-19 restrictions.

The Otago Daily Times has been running current events and spelling quizzes since 2003, originally as a series of competitions across several regions in Otago and South Canterbury.

Putting their thinking caps on at the ODT Extra! Grand Final Quiz at the Hutton Theatre in the Otago Museum yesterday are Columba College (1) pupils (from left) Poppy Edmond (14), Josie O’Neill (14) and Ryan Dailey (15). PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH

Earlier this year Allied Press, publisher of the ODT, teamed up with Dunedin digital educator Education Perfect to run the competition online.

As a result, the quiz has been able to provide an interactive, digital competition which was extended to those still experiencing lockdown conditions.

ODT Extra! Grand Final Quiz results: Year 5 and 6: Andersons Bay School (9) 1, George Street Normal School (4) 2, George Street Normal School (3) 3. Year 7 and 8: John McGlashan College (8) 1, Gleniti School (11) 2, Tahuna Intermediate School (1) 3. Year 9 and 10: Columba College (3) 1, Central Southland College (12) 2, Central Southland College (2) 3.