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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend November 30, 2005 Students get their own TV quiz show By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Teen trivia buffs and scholars can vie for thousands of dollars’ worth of college scholarships on a new local television quiz show, "Academic Challenge." The show, modeled on college quiz bowls dating to the 1950s, debuted on KOBI Channel 5 in October. It features 20 teams of high school students from across Southern Oregon, said Bob Wise, the station’s general manager and vice president. The teams will face off in a double-elimination tournament through the school year, with the finals in June. The top two teams will split between $30,000 and $40,000 donated by sponsors, including Jeld-Wen, Skinner Automotive, McDonald’s, Reed & Hamlin Real Estate, US Bank and LTM Inc. The show is the brainchild of Wise, who joined KOBI’s parent company, California-Oregon Broadcasting Inc., in 2004. He started an "Academic Challenge" show in Redding in 1996 when he and other managers at a station he headed there were astounded to see how many kids dropped out of high school and how many graduates didn’t continue their education. Advertisement "We thought a show like this would encourage kids and entertain our audience," Wise said. The show ran for years in Redding, and Wise said he was excited to bring a similar opportunity to Southern Oregon students. "We cover athletes, but wanted to do something for the kids who excel in academics," he said. The show brings teams of four students, many of whom participate in Brain Bowl academic competitions, into the station’s studio on Monday and Wednesday to record the contest in front of a studio audience of competitors’ friends and family. "We really try to make these kids feel special," Wise said. The chance to be on TV and score some money for college is exciting for the students competing, said Steve Jensen, who coaches South Medford High School’s teams for Academic Challenge, as well as Brain Bowl. "It’s kind of cool to engage in this," Jensen said. "They like to be with other like-minded kids who like trivia and the life of the mind. "Anything that highlights academics and orients the public to what we try to do in school is good, too," he added. Wise writes all the questions, covering history, math, geography, government, current events and more. Meteorologist Jeff Heaton hosts the show, which airs Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4485, or e-mail Students get their own TV quiz show ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s