WGBH has a TV Show called High School Quiz Show where students from across the entire state of Massachusetts compete in an academic trivia contest. About 120 high schools sent teams this year to the qualifying round held November 17 and dubbed by WGBH as “Super Sunday.”  This year was the first year that HHS has sent a team to this contest. Questions can be asked really on any topic, ranging from history to math and even including spelling. Each school that participates assembles a team of four students. Hanover’s team this year comprised of: David Raab (senior), Tom O’Connor (senior), Max Bruchowski (junior), and Nick O’Hara (freshman). The team coaches were Mrs. Nixon and Mrs. Boyle.

Super Sunday occurs at the WGBH main studios and headquarters in Boston. There, high school teams complete a 100-question oral quiz by themselves (meaning no direct competition with other schools). The quiz starts off with 70 questions which can be just about anything. The last 30 questions are from categories given only when the questions are asked. There is no easy way to prepare  because the questions asked can be on literally any topic. That being said, it is recommended that teams have a wide range of general knowledge and trivia. I hate to say it, but paying attention in class is what makes the difference.

If a public school team scores in the top 14 of total scores, then they advance to a head-to-head competition amongst the other schools that made it.  At this point, Hanover does not know if they have made it to the taped competition. When we find out, this article will be updated. That competition occurs in February and will be aired on WGBH this spring.Overall, the team thought it was a good learning experience. Our weakest category would have to be the spelling questions. I do not think we got a single one of those right. Even if Hanover does not make it this year, the experience will be there to be able to make it next year. I certainly believe this a good tradition to start here at HHS, not the least because I was a part of it.