Answers Lead to Awards for Cranberry Students

Cranberry High School students claim third place in Academic Challenge. (Contributed by Gayle Mitchell)

Dane Wenner holds the award for having the highest individual score. (Contributed by Gayle Mitchell)

Dylan Lu takes third place in for Individual Score. (Contributed by Gayle Mitchell)

Cranberry High School student team takes second place in the Academic Challenge. (Contributed by Gayle Mitchell)

By KAYLIE BRUCE
Student contributor

Cranberry High School students excel, yet again, at the annual Academic Challenge held at the IU6 in Clarion.

On Jan. 23, 2020, Gayle Mitchell, gifted teacher at Cranberry High School, took students in grades 7-12th for the ninth year in a row.

“It is a great opportunity for kids to shine in their different talents for different subjects,” said Noel Bunyak.

Academic Challenge is formatted like a quiz bowl. Teams are asked any type of academic question and have 3 seconds to answer. Four person teams compete in rounds and the highest overall score at the end of the day wins.

“We came really close to winning and we will get there next year,” stated Cranberry junior Dylan Lu.

Cranberry students hit the books early, studying massive binders. They also completed two scrimmages in the fall.

The students performed well, leading to good results at the competition.

The senior high team, Dylan Lu, Brooke Whitling, Noel Bunyak, and Trevor Oleson, took second place.

Lu was the third highest scorer in the competition.

The junior high team, Alana Oleson, Kelsey Hanna, Dane Wenner, and Jordan Zerbe, took third place.

Dane Wenner, a seventh grader at Cranberry, was the highest scorer in the competition.

“I’m always very proud to take them and they always give their best effort,” said Mitchell.

 

Kaylie Bruce a student at Cranberry High School and a member of Cranberry Chronicles, the school’s journalism/publications class.