Hickory Tavern School Academic Bowl Team Prepares for State Finals

News Summary

The Hickory Tavern School Academic Bowl Team has achieved a stunning victory at the Western Piedmont Education Consortium Academic Bowl and is set to compete in the state finals on March 7, 2025. This dedicated team, led by Coach Brittany Schaefer, has shown remarkable perseverance and teamwork throughout their undefeated season. The community eagerly supports these champions, hoping to rally more interest in academic competitions in the future.

Hickory Tavern School Academic Bowl Team Gears Up for State Finals!

In the charming town of Hickory Tavern, excitement is in the air as the local Academic Bowl Team from Hickory Tavern School (HTS) has just snagged a fabulous victory at the Western Piedmont Education Consortium (WPEC) Academic Bowl! This thrilling accomplishment took place on February 11, 2025, and the team is now ready to take on the state finals scheduled for March 7, 2025, held at the beautiful Lander University.

Meet the Champions!

The buzz around the school is palpable, and the excitement surrounding this hard-working team is contagious. With seven exceptional members comprising the team, they make quite the formidable group! The bright minds of HTS include Lilyana Almanza, Randi Atchley, Caidence Glenn, Hyatt Reid (who proudly serves as the Team Captain), Andrew Poole, Nate Green, and Christian Hart. Each member has contributed their unique talents and boundless enthusiasm to their undefeated season for 2024-2025.

The Road to Victory

The journey to the state finals hasn’t been easy—it’s been a series of exhilarating mini bowls! The team showcased their knowledge and skills in four different competitions leading up to this grand success:

• January 9: Competing against Westview, Northside, and Mid-Carolina
• January 16: Facing off with Ware Shoals, Whitmire, and Clinton
• January 30: Battling Brewer, Whitmire, and Edgewood
• February 6: Competing against Gray Court-Owings and Ware Shoals

After the mini bowls, the team entered the regional division, where they took on opponents like Ware Shoals, Sanders Middle School, and Edgewood over the span of February 10 and 11. Their hard work paid off! A big round of applause goes out to each of these remarkable students who conquered every challenge thrown their way, emerging as champions.

Behind the Scenes

Leading this talented troop is none other than Coach Brittany Schaefer. This dedicated Fourth Grade Science and Social Studies teacher has held the coaching role since 2022. With a Bachelor in Elementary Education from Winthrop University and a Master’s in Instructional Technology from Coastal Carolina, Coach Schaefer brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. Notably, she was inspired to coach after enjoying her own positive experience years ago as a student at HTS, participating in the very same Academic Bowl!

Under her guidance, the team practices once a week for an hour after school, and they’re really serious about it! Through friendly competition among themselves, they challenge each other with a combination of fun questions and research assignments that sharpen their wits. Coach Schaefer has been using tools like Edpuzzles to maximize their learning and to ensure that each member of the team walks away with something valuable.

Looking Ahead

The accomplishments of the HTS Academic Bowl Team are not just a beacon of pride for the school, but also a great motivator for the whole community. Coach Schaefer passionately hopes to inspire even more students to get involved. Furthermore, she is advocating for the establishment of a Laurens District 55 High School Academic Bowl Team, allowing older students to continue the tradition of academic excellence.

A Community Celebration

The pride doesn’t stop there! Parents, including Melissa Green, share the same excitement and hope that the team’s appearance at the State Finals will rally more support from both parents and students alike. Who knows? With enough enthusiasm, we might just see an explosion of interest that could lead parents to watch their kids shine in the world of academic competitions!

So, as the Hickory Tavern School Academic Bowl Team dials in their preparation for the thrilling state finals, let’s applaud their commitment and cheer them on from the sidelines. Go HTS! Let’s bring home the victory!

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Additional Resources

• GoLaurens: Hickory Tavern School Academic Bowl Team Qualifies for State Finals
• Axios: North Carolina Super Bowl LIX Connections
• WBTV: Hickory Native Eagles Landon Dickerson Headed to Super Bowl LIX
• Wikipedia: Academic Bowl
• HighSchoolOT: North Carolina Players Announced for the 2024 Shrine Bowl
• Google News: Hickory Tavern School Academic Bowl