ATLANTA – Seventh and eighth graders from Cocke County who participate in the Educational Talent Search program at Tusculum University showcased impressive knowledge as they compiled first place performances in recent statewide and Southeast region academic competitions.
Team members show their trophies and medals at the conclusion of the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel’s Academic Bowl in Atlanta.
On Saturday, April 26, the Tusculum team won the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel’s Academic Bowl in Atlanta. In addition, Julia Richmond, an eighth grader at Grassy Fork Elementary School captured first place as the highest individual team scorer.
The team, which is part of Tusculum’s TRIO programs, also finished first in two components of the Academic Bowl in Atlanta – the written exam and super quiz. Tusculum was second in the spelling competition. The Tusculum group competed against teams from Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi.
“These outstanding boys and girls performed exceptionally in this competition,” said Dr. David Smith, director of TRIO programs at Tusculum. “As we watched them compete against their peers, we were so proud of their extensive knowledge and hard work that produced this win. They represented Tusculum and their schools extremely well and earned this victory.”
Julia Richmond holds her award for being the top individual scorer at the conclusion of the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel’s Academic Bowl in Atlanta. She is also holding the team trophy for finishing first overall.
The Talent Search program serves students whose parents or guardians have not received a bachelor’s degree at a higher education institution or who are income-eligible. Like the other TRIO programs at Tusculum, Talent Search is funded through a federal grant. Tusculum has two Talent Search programs, with the first starting in 1976 and the second beginning in 2002. The winners in this competition come from the Talent Search West program.
The Tusculum team’s path to compete in Atlanta was paved by winning the statewide competition in Tennessee in February. That enabled the students to represent Tennessee in the regional competition.
The regional event is a quiz-style tournament where teams compete in general knowledge, spelling and quick recall competitions. All of these categories are part of SAEOPP’s scholastic initiatives to offer students an opportunity to demonstrate their academic abilities.
The Tusculum team consists of students from Cosby Elementary School, Grassy Fork Elementary School, Parrottsville Elementary School and Smoky Mountain Elementary School. The team members for the state and regional competition were:
- Mycelia Baker, seventh grade, Smoky Mountain Elementary
- Kaylee Blackwell, seventh grade, Parrottsville Elementary
- Joshua Grieve, seventh grade, Cosby Elementary
- Katherine Martinez, seventh grade, Grassy Fork Elementary
- Keatyn Miller, seventh grade, Cosby Elementary
- Aaliyah Olague, seventh grade, Cosby Elementary
- Santiago Peralta, seventh grade, Cosby Elementary
- Julia Richmond, eighth grade, Grassy Fork Elementary
- Timothy Shakespeare, seventh grade, Cosby Elementary
- Lilly Sprouse, seventh grade, Smoky Mountain Elementary
Angie Tyler and Chelsey Wade are these students’ Talent Search academic advisors and are responsible for assembling this team.
Members of the Tusculum team participate in the competition in Atlanta. They are, from the bottom left going clockwise, Santiago Peralta, Timothy Shakespeare, Joshua Grieve, Mycella Baker and Katherine Martinez.
“These students prepared exceptionally for these competitions and merit a lot of praise for excelling on the state and regional stage,” Dr. Smith said. “They also receive great academic support at their respective schools and tremendous assistance from the Talent Search team at Tusculum, which is focused on their success and seeing them advance to college. We are thrilled with the outcome of this team’s participation in these competitions and look forward to watching the students continue to develop their knowledge and skills.”
Additional information about Talent Search is available at https://site.tusculum.edu/student-success/academic-affairs/first-gen/talent-search/. Further details about TRIO at Tusculum are accessible at https://site.tusculum.edu/student-success/academic-affairs/first-gen/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.