St. Johnsbury Academy Scholars Team

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Created on Thursday, 28 March 2013 17:37

Written by Courtland Hanley

ST. JOHNSBURY - For many students, your school's extracurricular activities can be a highlight to your high school experience. The St. Johnsbury Academy offers nearly 50 extracurricular activities outside of their organized sports teams run through the Athletic Department. One of these activities is leading a team of young men to a championship competition.

St. Johnsbury Academy has been competing in academic competitions since they began in Vermont in 1983. The Academy's scholar's bowl team practices weekly and competes in events throughout the year. This year nearly a dozen kids have come and gone from the practices, making in when they can. However, only six students may represent a school at a competition.

 The team is coached by former St. Johnsbury Academy scholar's bowl team member Sarah Callanan, and her husband Jim Callanan. Both are teachers at the academy, and love spending an afternoon each week with these gifted students.

"In a lot of ways I like doing the practices because we like to just, ya know, have fun while we're practicing. Not just answering the questions but we talk about the things that are important in the questions and maybe how to answer the questions faster," Jim said.

The team is currently gearing up for the biggest competition of the year; the Vermont NEA Scholar's Bowl Final.
The Academy has won the championship three times, in 1990, 1994, and most recently in 2005. In recent years, Hanover High School has dominated the contest, winning four of the last six championships. For a list of all competition winners, check out the Vermont NEA Scholar's Bowl Website.

Jim is still confident in his team's ability to win the championship this year, despite Hanover's recent success. "This team is really good. Again I think we're ranked number eight going into the finals... We'll need to win about six matches to win the whole thing... I wouldn't be going if I didn't think we could at least compete with them," Jim said.

The championship team is awarded with a trip each year. The Academy was funded a trip to Disney World when they last won in 2005. Both Jim and his wife like to celebrate the end of the season with their students no matter what, but a trip to Disney World certainly sweetens the pot.

The Championship will be held at the University of Vermont on April 6th.