| “We
sponsor Brain Busters with the hope of attracting the best and
brightest students to The University of Montana campuses.”
|
| --
George Dennison
UM President |
|
Billings
students become
Brain Busters champions
A
team of Billings Skyview High School students last month won the first-ever
state championship title for Brain Busters, an academic quiz bowl
sponsored by UM and televised on NBC stations statewide.
Skyview students defeated a team from Bozeman High School 240-160
during a contest in Missoula.
As Brain Busters champions, each member of the Billings Skyview High
School team receives a $5,000 scholarship that can be used at any
of the four UM campuses located in Missoula, Helena, Butte and Dillon.
As the second-place winners, Bozeman students each receive a $4,000
UM scholarship.
Sixty-four teams from across Montana began round-one competition last
fall in Saturday contests held at KULR in Billings and KECI in Missoula.
Team members answered questions on a range of topics, including science,
math, geography and current events.
In April Billings Skyview defeated a team from Cody (Wyo.) High School
to claim the Eastern Division championship title and advance to the
state finals. In early May, Bozeman beat Frenchtown High School to
become the Western Division champions. As division finalists, team
members from Cody and Frenchtown high schools each receive $1,000
UM scholarships.
Billings Skyview’s state championship team comprises sophomore
Katherine Kilzer; junior Benjamin Anderson; and seniors Ryan N. Young,
Jason Kephart, Cade Bloomenrader and Erwin Dunbar. The team is led
by teacher Rich McFate.
Bozeman team members are seniors Peter Beland, Steve Searles, Robert
Blake, Trevor Layman, Arthur Modlinski and Lincoln Pac. They were
coached by teacher Tricia Thompson.
UM President George Dennison praised the nearly 400 students who competed
in Brain Busters during the 2003-04 academic year.
“We sponsor Brain Busters with the hope of attracting the best
and brightest students to The University of Montana campuses,”
Dennison said. “These champions from Billings Skyview have measured
up to the challenge. In fact, we look forward to welcoming Ryan Young
to UM next fall.”
Brain Busters began in Missoula in fall 2002 with 32 teams from western
Montana. The academic bowl went statewide last fall.
In addition to scholarships, each Brain Busters competitor received
a complementary gift bag with UM logo items.
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