Some typical hobbies of high school students include hanging out with friends, going shopping, or playing video games, but there are other students who would rather learn “fun” facts so that they can compete against other students with the same interests. Those kids are also known as the Scholastic Bowl Team (Scholar Bowl Team) which is referred to as “Quiz Bowl” in other areas. 

We have two teams at the high school, varsity and junior varsity, both of which are led by Coach Charlie Howard, who is also a social studies teacher here.

The varsity team has captain Caden Green (11) and a co-captain Vince Champion (11) to lead them, while junior varsity has Charlie Scholemann (10) as their captain.

When going into a scholar bowl match, you’ll most likely see two sets of five chairs and separate chairs for the captain and the monitor. During these competitions, the teammates have to be serious and driven, but there are some moments, according to Green, when it is fun, “because there are lighthearted moments where everyone is making jokes.” The players are given at least twenty questions and are tested to see how fast they can answer.

Most sports and academic activities have regular practices throughout the weeks to get better, but with Scholar Bowl, there isn’t any time for that. The kids just get on the bus, as Mr. Howard says the “only way to practice Scho-Bo” is through experience.

There are all sorts of topics covered, such as Math, History, famous actors, pop culture, sports, the “3 R’s” of education—reading, (w)riting, and (a)rithmetic, words and a number of other topics.

At Herrin High School, our Scholar Bowl team has been a symbol of academic achievement for years. It is a statement of our school’s commitment to nurturing well-rounded individuals who excel not only in the classroom but also in the field of intellectual battle. 

Participating in Scholar Bowl isn’t merely about winning trophies; it’s about personal growth. It fosters skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, quick decision-making, and a lifelong love for learning.

Our Scholar Bowl team isn’t just a collection of brilliant individuals; it is a tightly-knit community of learners who support each other in their quest for knowledge. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts because, as Mr. Howard says, “Scholar Bowl is a team sport. It is won with specialized niche knowledge, not general knowledge across all subjects.  We need 4 or 5 specialists, not 5 jacks of all trades.”

We wish the Scholar Bowl team good luck throughout their season and hope to hear more accomplishments in the future!