Academic Olympics

Each year, students from Holy Cross Catholic School meet with other students in the Blue Water Vicariate to participate in the Academic Olympics. This event, which is held traditionally at the beginning of Catholic Schools Week, is an opportunity for students to exercise their minds! Students compete in four different areas: Religion, Problem Solving, Mathematics, and Forensics.

Religion: This competition is a quiz bowl style event. Students from the participating schools are divided randomly onto two teams per grade level. The grade levels compete against each other in three rounds. The first two rounds are general questions. The third round is set up in a ‘Jeopardy’ style, with four categories for the teams to choose from. The event is an excellent to both demonstrate and promote an understanding of our shared faith.

Problem Solving: In this portion of the Academic Olympics, each school is represented by a team of three to five students at each grade level. Each team is given a problem and materials to use in solving the problem. The first component of the event involves written planning. Before the competition, the team members memorize the format of the plan. They must utilize this information to develop a written plan based on the materials they are given in the competition. The second portion of the completion involves using the supplied materials to construct a solution to the presented problem. Students are then judged on the success of their project, their written plan, and their ability to work as a team.

Mathematics: This competition is made up of teams of one to three members in each grade level. There are two portions in this event. Students rotate from station to station to solve math computation problems in one area. The other area of competition has the team members solving a series of word problems.

Forensics: This is a competition dealing with public speaking. Our coaches prepare the students in their choice of humorous or serious poetry or prose. Our students always do well in this competition. In the process, they meet new students within our vicariate. Preparing for this event also teaches our students how to speak and carry themselves with poise in front of an audience.