Horowhenua wins quiz
Horowhenua College has won the 34th annual Jimmy Carter Inter-school Quiz.
The five member team comprising one student from each year level posted 75 points out of 90 to beat Feilding HS and Freyberg HS into second equal on 68 points. There were 11 other secondary school teams competing last Wednesday at the Palmerston North Convention Centre.
This is Horowhenua College’s first ever win in this contest as well as being the first time that a school outside Palmerston North has taken the trophy. This competition was set up by Lions clubs in the Manawatu¯ to mark a visit by former American President Jimmy Carter (1976-80) to Palmerston North. Carter wanted an activity rather than a static object to commemorate his visit, so the annual Jimmy Carter Quiz was born in 1985.
Horowhenua College has competed well in past years and has seldom been out of the top four places; last year the team was pushed into second place by PNBHS in the last round and this year the team members (Oliver Bau, Jesse Dahya, Robert Wylie, Jasmine Beach and Madison Walsh -captain) were determined to make the top spot (and history), which they did.
Team coach Simon Smith, a Classics and English teacher (and a former NZ Mastermind), commented that the win was a valuable one in terms of it celebrating rigorous academic competition. He also noted the college, with a roll of about 580 students, was punching well above its weight when competing against much larger Palmerston North schools.
This year’s contest was his last as college quiz coach; as retirement looms at the end of the year; but he knows with other keen staff to step in, and a dedicated group of students, there is no reason why the team could not compete strongly again in 2019.
Prizes included the large ornate trophy and some books donated by Bruce McKenzie from his well-known bookshop. At the end the teams thanked the three Lions clubs which ran the contest, and our students went home extremely satisfied.