The Academic Team is one of the many clubs sponsored here at Greenwood High School. Academic Team is an academic competition that involves difficult, high-stakes quick recall questions (similar to trivia) and taking tests over core content subjects, such as Math, Social Studies, Science, Arts & Humanities, and Language Arts. There are three levels of competition: district, region, and state level. How well one does at these competitions, determines how well overall as these points are combined to form the team’s total score.
Ashlyn Johnson, a junior, has been competing in Arts & Humanity and Quick Recall since freshman year. Her favorite part is having fun while learning and hanging out with friends. That being said, she can also count on her friends to be there for her when times are tough and stressful. Ashlyn recommends that anyone who wants to join “come in for a couple of practices” to get a feel of the routine.
Laura Parkerson, a junior, said that one way she prepares for upcoming seasons and competitions is by using “way too much” Quizlet to study her content areas, Math and Language Arts: “I have two Quizlets. One has 700 terms, the other has 500.” Laura mentioned being able to travel to Louisville for the State competition is “Always really fun. Especially if your friend makes it too.”
Reece Spears, the head Greenwood Academic Team and Drakes Creek Future Problem Solving coach, has been coaching for 5 years. He enjoys being around the players, especially after having a stressful day. “Just being able to have fun and joke around and know that I’m around people that actually care and want to move the world forward.” One thing Mr. Spears hopes the Academic Team excels at is friendship and being able to leave a lasting legacy. With many of their Varsity players graduating in the spring, “I want them to celebrate each other…I want them to never forget the team.”
Greenwood’s main rivals are Bowling Green High School, South Warren High School, and Glasgow High School. The sensation of beating them at competitions is the same as how any sports team experiences this type of pure surrealness. Mr. Spears quotes, “We get very excited…but it’s mostly because we put in a lot of time and a lot of work…it’s very rewarding to see you all succeed…it’s hard work finally paying off.”
Greenwood’s Academic Team is the only sports team at Greenwood that is qualified for consecutive national titles. They are ranked in the top 75 in the country. Just recently, they competed at the state level in Louisville, Kentucky at the renowned Galt House Hotel. Joseph Strom, a senior, won 4th place in the state for Science overall twice in a row, meeting Kentucky’s governor, Andy Beshear. Greenwood finaled at 16th place in Quick Recall, with just one daunting point loss.
Maybe this year, they can turn that around and reign victorious.
