Many students join clubs at the beginning of the school year. But it’s difficult to determine which one is best for you. If you are having trouble deciding, here is a brief overview of one of the most popular clubs- Quiz Bowl.
Quiz Bowl has existed since the 1950s. It began with a radio show called College Bowl, which began in 1953, moved to television in 1959, and ended in 1970. The game has roots in earlier quiz competitions. A televised student quiz program, It’s Academic, has been run for high school teams in the Washington, DC area since October 7, 1961, and is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running quiz show in television history.
Rules for the Game
Usually, 2 teams of four or five players are asked questions by a moderator (usually a teacher for school clubs). Each player usually has an electronic buzzer (it makes the iconic “bzzz” sound) to signal that their team has the answer to the moderator’s question.
There are 2 types of questions: toss-ups and bonuses. During a toss-up, individual players may buzz in, and talking among teams is generally not allowed. Bonuses are generally 30 points and consist of 3 questions worth 10 points each.
Questions given are typically a variety of academic subjects, though some may have questions about pop culture topics like popular music, sports, and other non-academic subjects. The inclusion of these questions is often kept to a minimum.
Quiz Bowl Club at CHS
Quiz Bowl Club at CHS is every Tuesday in room A222 with Mr. Robinson from 4-5 pm. Occasionally, Quiz Bowl hosts 3 types of competitions: online (where the whole team cooperates), in person, at local schools, and on TV, in the game show Battle of the Brains.
Quiz Bowl is one of the longest- running academic competitions in the U.S. From its beginnings in the 1950s, to the 64 year-long running show It’s Academic, Quiz Bowl has questioned, quizzed and inspired students for nearly a century.
Sources
Mr. Robinson’s Email with information about Quiz Bowl
Quiz Bowl rules by the organization that manages many quiz bowl groups
More info about quiz bowl rules
IMDb page about one of the first televised quiz bowl programs
