Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Saturday, March 7, 2009

Thousands of people spent a warm, sunny day cheering on their teams – not out on a ball field but at the Academic Challenge Superintendent’s Cup, where youngsters put their brains to work and earned college scholarships. 

After starting with more than 1,500 participants, the competition was pared to six teams in the finals. Athens-Chilesburg’s Team B finished first in the primary division, while Dixie’s Team E was tops in the intermediate group. 

“It’s wonderful to have 5,000 people come to Tates Creek High School on a Saturday morning for academics,” Superintendent Stu Silberman told the packed auditorium before the awards ceremony. 

The competition was fierce throughout the day, with tie-breakers needed in several early rounds as well as in the intermediate finals. 

“Every child works hard and prepares for this competition,” though not everyone can win, said Arnold Gaither, chairman of One Community, One Voice. “Hard work and effort and preparation mean something, and we recognize it, too.” 

Primary team results: 

1^st place (earning 17 out of 20 possible points in the final round) -- Athens-Chilesburg Team B, winning four-year scholarships Kentucky State University: Christina Duvall, Justin Duvall, Austin Booth, Rachel Burns, Taylor Lenox.

2^nd place (16 points) -- Ashland Team D: Caitlin Southworth, Diamond Jores-Mitchell, Donald Andrews, Daniel Brewer, Hannah Shapiro, Max Stacy.

3^rd place (14 points) -- Meadowthorpe Team A: Helen Pang, Zachary Wang, Kelly Chen, Gus Carlson, Sophie Berger.

Intermediate team results: 

1^st place (earning 19 of 20 points in the final round) -- Dixie Team E, winning four-year scholarships to Morehead State University: Taegen McCarty, Halleigh Shakelford, Anthony Tamasi, Amelia Rogers, Dara Bockrath, Kaitlyn Kelly.

2^nd place (18 points after a tie-breaker) -- Dixie Team C: Eric Caudill, Molly Felty, Anna McMahan, Bradley McBrayer, Olivia Jennings, John Pike.

3^rd place (17 points) -- Glendover Team A: Hannah Noff, Sibley Miller, Katie Kilcoyne, Ben Grossman, Oscar Medrano.

Individual competitions: 

Fifth-grade math/science

Winners of four-year scholarships to the University of Kentucky: Kayla Carter, Lansdowne; Katie Cox, SCAPA; Saikeerthi Naidu, Rosa Parks Elementary; Noah Welch, Athens-Chilesburg; Tiffany Rossi, Mary Todd Elementary; Mia Alexander, Dixie.

Fourth-grade writing

Winners of four-year scholarships to Eastern Kentucky University: Maggie Cook-Allen, Garden Springs; Lindsey Ford, Yates; Dasia Woods, Julius Marks Elementary; Cassidy Kemplin, Harrison; Matthew Castle, Cassidy; Corrie Hunter, Sandersville.

Fifth-grade writing

Winners of four-year scholarships to Georgetown College: Harley Dublow, Julius Marks Elementary; Tyven McWhorter, Breckinridge; Jessica Vaccaro, Garden Springs; Eric Caudill, Dixie; Keionna Bailey, Mary Todd Elementary; Mitchell Brown, Veterans Park;

Winners of one-year scholarships to Bluegrass Community & Technical College: Kathleen (Katie)  Kilcoyne, Glendover; McKenna Etherton, Lansdowne.