The Great Neck Village School will take on Syosset in a test of academic expertise on MSG Varsity’s “The Challenge” quiz show on Feb. 3
And for the school’s quiz bowl team, friendly competition is the name of the game.
There are no late-night practice sessions or cutthroat jockeying for team spots at Great Neck’s alternative middle and high school. But team members say they stack up well against other schools with more competitive programs.
“While all these different schools train for months to try and do this… it’s really based all on common knowledge,” said senior team member Eugene Lundin. “It’s hard to practice for something where you don’t know what they’re going to say.”
Team captain Alicia Heisler, who had quiz bowl experience at her previous school, said the friendly atmosphere separates the Village School’s team from other squads.
“There was really was not a large sense of community [on my former team,]” Heisler said. “I think all of us genuinely like each other.”
The Village School, Great Neck’s public alternative school for grades eight through 12, does not have a formal quiz team club, said advisor Jeff Bernstein. Rather, students are selected by school staff whenever the Village School is chosen to participate in competitions.
The school’s team, which consists of Lundin, Heisler, juniors Christopher Helms and Ezra Hyman and senior Laura Li, will square off against Syosset High School in the tournament’s first round.
The competition, which includes 32 schools from Nassau County in the regional rounds and features questions on history, the arts, current events, math and science, carries a $10,000 grand prize for the school that wins the tri-state championship as well as $500 prizes for individual competitors.
Helms said he views the “The Challenge” as a way for the Village School to prove that it can stack up against any quiz team on Long Island.
“I was immediately very interested [in joining the team,]” Helms said. “The Village School has been very important to the students who are there.”
“We definitely want to compete and show what Village School can do,” said Heisler. “It’s also a school pride thing… we’re a small school but we have a lot of heart.”
And though the competition may be fierce, the team is too close – like a big family, according to Heisler – for there to be any bad blood.
“I can say that I’m a little bit nervous. I think that we’re just going in for the fun of it, and we’re going to do our best,” said the captain. “We’re not going to come back and see frowning faces.”
The Village School’s first round matchup against Syosset High School will air Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. on Cablevision’s Optimum, channel 14. “The Challenge” airs new episodes Monday through Friday evenings.
Reach reporter Dan Glaun by e-mail at dglaun@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow1 and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
