PHOTOS, STORY: Students tackle variety of subjects in game show take-off

By Lugene Hudson
New Castle News

May 15, 2008 01:13 pm

— It pays to pay attention in science class. Especially about bugs.
For Michael Mazzanti, knowing that mosquitoes can spread malaria and other diseases won him the sixth-grade championship trophy in George Washington Intermediate Elementary School�s Jeopardy competition.
Alex Trebek was nowhere in sight, but moderator and teacher Rosemary Maggie competently ran the school�s version of the televised game show.
Remaining calm through regular, double and final Jeopardy, Michael said later that his favorite category was Potpourri, but the hardest was Pattern Play, in which sequences of numbers had to be figured out.
�Let�s play Jeopardy,� began Maggie, cautioning the audience not to reveal any answers. And just like the TV show, the blue Jeopardy board appeared via computer on a screen on the auditorium stage. There were even Joysticks used as buzzers. All that was missing was the music.
For the players, buzzing in was not permitted until Maggie finished reading the clue.
Vowel Scramble was one domain Ryan Dugan found difficult. He said math is his best subject, while Michael is partial to Social Studies.
In Parlez-vous Francais? the French term was identified, and there were categories for Teammates, Salty or Fresh, Fantas�tic� and Body by Example.
With their classmates cheering them on, �reca� was translated to �acre� and the response to �citta� was �What is attic?�
Round one ended with no correct answer for the meaning of faux pas.
�Give the contestants a nice round of applause,� Maggie coaxed as Double Jeopardy got under way. �Don�t give up,� she told all four. �Anyone could be a winner.�
The assortment for the second round was great and small, Michael�s dreaded Pattern Play, Worldwide Words, Which Came First?, Potpourri and Left/Right.
�Which came first?� directed Maggie. �The automobile, bicycle or wheel?�
Leaning into the microphone, Ethan replied �the wheel.� Hannah knew the printing press came before a typewriter and computer.
When player four, Michael, hit the daily double, he wagered 1,500 of 7,200 points and correctly responded that a record player preceded a tape player and a Walkman.
Then it was on to Final Jeopardy. The category � Bloodsuckers.
�You have 30 seconds to report to your teacher and write your wagers,� Maggie instructed. �Remember to write in question form. You now have one minute to get the answer.�
Those pesky mosquitoes proved to be lucky for Michael and Ethan, who knew the reply. But in the end, it was Michael who racked up a whopping 21,400 points.
Michael Mallay, fifth-grade applied learning instructor, said categories and questions were submitted by faculty members.
The education quizfest was started in the 1990s and has become a popular rite of spring. The contest was originally called Geo-pardy, a variation of the school�s name, but changed to reflect the actual game, Mallay said. All students competed, then winners were chosen from each classroom, culminating with the final four from each grade. Fourth- and fifth grades also competed.
�We want all kinds of activities to try to challenge all students,� Mallay said.
On stage, the winner, runner-up, participants and alternates were acknowledged. Michael and Ryan each clutched trophies.
For Ryan, nerves weren�t an issue.
�I saw it as a game,� he said, noting this was his first try in the competition.
Not the case for Michael. This was his third time and last year, he lost by one point.
It was a whole lot different this time around.
Fantas-tic.

JEOPARDY
The Finalists

George Washington Intermediate Elementary School Jeopardy finalists are:
�Fifth grade: Nathan Geiger, first place; Brandy Hereof, runner-up; Nick Lute and Ben Ketch
�Fourth grade: Jared Buddy, first place; Daniel Natale, runner-up; Jimmy Shatter and Pat Minion

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