Description of Events
Accounting: A multiple choice/ fill-in-the-chart test covering principals of accounting. It is recommended that you be an Accounting student or have completed Accounting to be a part of this team. Test time - 1 hour
Calculator Applications: A math test covering formulas and lengthy problems that requires skill with an advanced calculator. Incoming freshmen are welcome. Test time - 30 minutes
Number Sense: A math test covering basic math skills. This test requires very quick answers and some knowledge of basic math. Incoming freshman are welcome. Test time – 10 minutes
Mathematics: A math test covering advanced theories of Mathematics. This test requires the completion of some higher level math courses, at least Honors Algebra II or above. Test time – 40 minutes
Computer Applications: A test that involves typing spreadsheets, word processing documents, and databases, then merging documents and making changes to them. This test requires general computer knowledge and typing skills. Test time – 30 minutes
Computer Science: A multiple choice test that covers JavaScript programming language. Individuals take the test. A team of 3 (or 4) can also enter the programming portion of the contest – a problem is given and the team writes a program in Java to address the assigned problem.
Current Issues and Events: A multiple choice test with an essay for a tie breaker over worldwide current events. This test requires an up to the minute knowledge of world news. Test time – 60 minutes
Informative Speaking: A speaking event involving current events or issues in which you will have 30 minutes to prepare a 6 minute speech. The contest requires speaking skills and quick research and preparation skills. Test time – 30 minutes prep/ 6 minutes speaking
Persuasive Speaking: A speaking event involving current events or issues in which you will have 30 minutes to prepare a persuasive 6 minute speech. The contest requires speaking skills and quick research and preparation skills and the ability to state an opinion and support it with details. Test time – 30 minutes prep/ 6 minutes speaking
Literary Criticism: A multiple choice test over assigned reading. This test requires knowledge of assigned reading materials and literary terms. The assigned reading includes a set of poetry, a novel, some short stories and a piece of nonfiction. Test time – 90 minutes
Ready Writing: The contestant responds to an open prompt in a well-developed written response. This contest requires good writing skills and good vocabulary. Test time – 2 hours.
Science: A multiple choice test covering Biology, Chemistry and Physics. If you have not completed all three courses in high school, you could still be eligible for the Science Team because the test is scored so that outstanding knowledge in one of the areas could earn medals and team points. Test time – 2 hours
Spelling and Vocabulary: A test that combines spelling words and matching words to the correct definitions. Test time – 2 hours
Editorial Writing: A test that provides a list of facts from which you write an editorial article for a newspaper. This requires the ability to draw an opinion from the facts and support that opinion in the correct writing style. Test time – 45 minutes
Feature Writing: A test that provides a list of facts from which you write a feature article for a paper. This requires the ability to take the plain facts and weave them into an interesting and entertaining article. Test time –60 minutes
Headline Writing: A test that provides articles from a newspaper that lack headlines. The contest requires the ability to create original and interesting headlines for the articles in proper journalistic style and use the space provided. This is much like a word puzzle. Test time – 45 minutes
News Writing: A test that provides a list of facts from which you write a news article for a paper. This requires the ability to sort through the facts, determine which are more important, and write a solid news story using correct journalistic style. Test time – 45 minutes
Social Studies: A multiple choice test covering basic social studies and government theories along with knowledge of assigned readings. This contest requires that you read a book on political policy and research one or two historical documents. Test time – 60 minutes
Poetry Interpretation: A speaking event involving presentation of a poem or poems to a small audience. The contest requires good presentation skills, very similar to acting. Presentation time – 8 minutes
Prose Interpretation: A speaking event involving presentation of a cut of prose (novel, short story, etc.) to a small audience. The contest requires good presentation skills, very similar to acting. Presentation time – 8 minutes
CX Debate: A speaking event in which two contestants form a team that presents a policy and then defends that policy, or listens to a policy and tries to oppose it. The contest requires many hours of research on the topic, good presentation skills and quick thinking. Presentation time – total of 1 hour 30 minutes
Lincoln-Douglas Debate: A speaking event which involves taking a side of an issue and arguing that side throughout a series of speeches. This contest requires hours of research on the topic, presentation skills and quick thinking. Presentation time – 45 minutes total