Academic Olympics: A Golden Educational Tool
By Tom Kertes

So it wasn't Barcelona, Atlanta, or Sydney. But, in many ways, the District 8 Bronx Academic Olympics couldn't have been more enticing, demanding, and chuck-full-of thrills for all who participated as the “real thing.”

This, of course, was no coincidence. “We do everything we can to make this an Olympian experience for the students,” District Director of Social Studies John-Paul Bianchi (aka The Father of the Academic Olympics) said. “I think there's so much about the Games “ discipline, self-sacrifice, team-work “the students can learn from, beyond the academics.”

The feeling in the spacious P.S. 101 auditorium was Olympian, indeed. From the line-up of the nine teams for the Opening Ceremonies, to the Presentation of Colors, to the 30-40 strong squads marching in to the stirring sounds of the International Olympic Anthem, the difference between this event and The Games was merely in the size of the competitors (pint-sized instead of muscle-bound) and the nature of the competition (intellectual vs. physical). Even though the atmosphere was good-natured and fun, you could also sense tension in the air.

The lighting of the Olympic Torch “ a funky-looking, student-made contraption turned torch-like by electricity and wind-power. Then things got serious.

“Are we going to see any smiles on this team?” a few officials teased as I.S. 125 marched in. Finals opponents, purple-clad I.S. 192, was bedecked with good-luck beads, and multi-colored papier-m«chª hair-ornaments. One girl even sported toy devil's-horns on her head. “She wants to win,” principal Maria Paese, who cried when she saw her kids march in, said. “I am the emotional Principal,” she explained. “My kids are just like me. They work hard, then they like to have a good time.”

“All the teams, and all the coaches, in this competition have a different style,” by-the-books I25 coach Dan Evangelista said. “And that's fine. Whatever works. I just want my kids to respect the discipline and all the hard work that went into this. The students, the teachers, the coaches, we've all been meeting since February almost every morning at 7:30 a.m., and after school, and on weekends to prepare for this competition. So, yes, we're serious.”

But seriously, the Academic Olympics is an intellectual competition for middle school students in Grades 6-8 in four disciplines: English/ Language Arts, Math and Science, Social Studies and Omnibus General Trivia. Hundreds of students in all of the District's nine schools auditioned to be on their team. About 30-40 of them made it.

“This is a wonderful educational tool,” said Bianchi. “Due to the competitive aspect of the Games, the kids work really hard, in many cases much harder than if this was just another one of their regular classes. We also try to make the questions more than just factual, to get beyond memorization, to encourage logical, creative, contextual thinking. And the discipline, focus and togetherness that's developed through this is priceless.”

And so was the great display of sportsmanship. After the team from I25 put a serious defeat onto their bedeviled opponents, I92 lined up to congratulate and hug each and every winner. Without any encouragement from coaches or teachers. “Aren't they the greatest kids?” a proud Ms. Paese asked.

“This is what it's all about, what we try to develop in our District: team work, togetherness, bonds of trust, and love,” Community Superintendent Dr. Betty Rosa, who handed out the Gold Medals to I25, said. “And these Academic Olympics have not only been an excellent academic tool but a wonderful instrument for developing those things as well.” So why aren't other Districts doing something so simple, something that can be so cheaply done? “You tell me,” Dr. Rosa said, shrugging her shoulders in frustration. “ I think we've set a really wonderful example here.#

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