The Whitman Quizbowl team faced off in a “Battle of Whits” trivia match against members of the Class of 1970 on Oct. 30, during their 55th reunion. The competition followed the format of “It’s Academic,” a TV quiz show for high school students.
Three teams of three competed, each representing different generations: current Quizbowl members as Generation Z, alumni as boomers and teachers as millennials and Generation X. “It’s Academic” host Hillary Howard moderated, explaining the rules and facilitating the game.
Quizbowl Captain Jack Pelmoter, who played for the student team, said he enjoys being a part of the club and bonding with his teammates.
“Practices are always a good time,” Pelmoter said. “When you’re actually at an event like this or on TV, it’s stressful. But it’s a lot of fun.”
The game opened with a round of rapid-fire questions, followed by an individual team round, a lightning round and finally a three-minute buzzer round. Questions covered literature, science, math, pop culture, sports and more. In the end, students won with a score of 300 points. Teachers placed second with 270, and alumni finished last with 215.
Alumni Barry Kemelhor, who captained the 1970 “It’s Academic” Team, reached out to Whitman with the idea for the contest and helped organize. He said his experiences on the show taught him lasting skills.
“Doing something like that when I was 17 years old taught me public speaking, composure, confidence and competitiveness,” Kemelhor said. “I felt like I was getting double learning, because I would go to school all day, and then I would practice in the afternoon.”
Quizbowl was originally called the “It’s Academic” team, containing the TV show’s competitions, but has since grown to include many local trivia tournaments against other schools.
English teacher Michael Negrin is in his third year of coaching Quizbowl, and said what makes it rewarding is watching his students grow.
“It’s great because the kids are so brilliant,” Negrin said. “I get to see them learn and become better as the years go by.”
Sophie Altman created “It’s Academic” in 1961 with the goal of bringing attention to students’ academic achievement. The program, having aired for 65 years, is the world’s longest-running high school quiz show.
Alumni Cliff Goodman said he appreciates his time at Whitman and remains active in the community.
“I was on the football team, ran track and was on The Black and White, and I’m very proud of that,” Goodman said. “I love being back here and I consider Whitman a true pillar of this community.”
