How many colors are possible with an 8-bit image? Arcturus is a bright star in what constellation? Which president of the United States, also one of the signers of the Constitution, had “junior” as part of his official name?
On March 15, Mher Almasi (’10), Hayk Azatyan (’10), Erica Bogosian (’11), Aram Hovasapyan (’10), and Asher Landau (’11) will compete against teams from other GUSD high schools to answer questions like these at the 20th annual Scholastic Bowl. It will take place in the Glendale High School Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.
The Scholastic Bowl was established in 1991 to display and celebrate intellectual excellence. According to coordinator Dennis van Bremen, before the Scholastic Bowl, there had been many athletic events, but no academic ones.
A week before the tournament, all contestants are given an hour to write an essay on an assigned controversial prompt. The scores from this portion will determine the points each team begins with at the tournament.
Teams receive two points for every correct answer, lose one point for every incorrect, and are not affected for not responding.
“It’s a part of the strategy to know when not to answer,” Bremen said.
NBC weatherman Fritz Coleman, who has been the Quizmaster for several years, will return again.
Each member of the first place team receives $500, the second place team receives $125, the third place team receives $75, and the fourth place team receives $50. The money comes from various sponsors such as the Knapp, Petersen and Clarke Law Firm, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, the Glendale Kiwanis, and the Oakmont League of Glendale.
Hoover has been victorious in 1991, 1999, 2000, 2004-2006, and 2008. However, Crescenta Valley has won the most tournaments, followed by Hoover, Glendale, and finally, Clark.
The team meets after school every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday with their advisers English teacher Brian Crosby and social science teacher Dan Kimber to prepare for the event.
“I pick up new facts just from hearing the questions,” Bogosian said. “It’s a new learning experience.”
[The answers to the questions in order are 256, Bootes, and James Madison.]
