Shaw students take Science Challenge Quiz serious
Dec. 4—LAURINBURG — Imagine students begging to study.
Over at Shaw Academy, it's happening. Six-year science teacher Donnette Shaw-Ford wanted to encourage studying at the school, so she came up with the Science Challenge Quiz. It's something similar to a school-wide competition that was held back in Jamacia, where she's from.
Imagine Family Feud meets Jeopardy. Students who participated in the challenge were randomly placed on teams. Since Shaw-Ford is the science teacher, she didn't have her own team. But other teachers stepped in to help and lead the four teams.
"I called up some of my friends and I said I have this very bright idea and I want you to help me with it. I want to encourage my students to study and have something to look forward to," she said. Shaw-Ford said she selected teachers the students would want to work with.
Teachers like Tannelaine Wilson, who teaches career technical education classes — "To see them excited about something, the students were motivated to study. It was another tool for helping them study, we have testing coming up. This was a win-win situation."
Wilson said the science challenge quiz also teaches teamwork. "The kids didn't pick their teams, the coaches did."
She said the contest brought kids together who wouldn't normally hang out and everyone was excited. "It was the buzz around school."
There were four teams when the event started in November, now they are down to the final two. The final round will be held on Dec. 17. The competition was set up like NCAA basketball with brackets and Wilson said the teams were excited for their turns.
And if you think it's just the kids who are competitive, you have to meet their coaches. Wilson said her team loss to Corey Monroe's team, an EC teacher at Shaw, but he wouldn't face off with them again.
"We were in the negative because we had a student who was rocking the buzzer but if it wasn't for that, he would've gotten his tail whipped," she said with a laugh.
Monroe's response. "Everybody's always coming for the number one spot."
The light-hearted banter with the teachers about their teams also highlights something special about what the competition has created for the students. Justice Mcrrimmon, social issues and math teacher, said it's all fun. "The students really enjoy it and it's the fact that they like to study for it."
Candi Cheek, who is a behavioral support specialist at Shaw, said the students have worked really hard together and developed bonds with each other.
"They were so into it that when they lost out, there was some emotion. But they stayed involved and now everyone has their pick of who they want to win. So, they are like a cheering squad in the back," she said.
The competition took the kids out of their comfort zone, Cheek said. "It was fun to watch them learn stuff about each other. In our study group, there was one student who wasn't very talkative and was kind of withdrawn at first, but by the end of it they were all talking in groups and they sparked something new in the student it was so neat to watch."
Monroe's team will be facing Presley Ballard's team in the finals. Ballard is a social studies teacher at Shaw. "With a little motivation, these kids are really excited. I have never seen them act like this before. Our students aren't as bad as people think and they just need a little extra love and motivation."
And Ballard predicts his team will win beat Monroe's team.
"It's been very competitive," Monroe said. "Once we started playing the game and once other kids in the audience started watching the game it's piqued their interest and students want to come to school and participate. It's been awesome, it really has."
The prizes for the winning team have been donated by the Shaw staff.
Cheris Hodges can be reached at chodges@laurinburgexchange.com.
