The Fourth Annual High School Local History Smackdown Approaches

Who can give Ontonagon a run for their money in the Fourth Annual High School Local History Smackdown?
Last year?s champions, the Rolling Boulders (Sara Anderson, Kyle Hawley, Derek O?Connell, and Ryan Young) withstood some very stiff competition from Jeffers? Lazy Buffaloes, who belied their name to tie for second place with Calumet?s ever-threatening Agassiz?s Army. While each competitor in the 16 teams that took part in the competition impressed spectators with their smarts, the winners wowed the crowd with their ability to answer some very challenging questions, many of which had the audience scratching their heads.
We are seeking high school teams from the four-county area to lay down the gauntlet on April 27, 2006. High-school age contestants are also welcome to form their own teams independent of school sponsorship; church groups, scouting groups or other youth groups are welcome to participate. The deadline for registering a team is March 17, 2006, so assemble a team and start planning for your name to be inscribed on the Smackdown trophy!
The competition offers teams of local-area high school students an opportunity to showcase their knowledge of the history, geography, and geology of Keweenaw, Baraga, Ontonagon, and Houghton counties. Its format is similar to a spelling bee: teams of four players are asked ?short-answer? questions about local history topics, which increase in difficulty as the rounds go higher. The contest features a double-elimination format: two wrong answers and teams are out of play. Preparation can be formal or informal, but teams that invest time in advance preparation may proceed farther in the competition. However, those who simply want to be a part of a fun night of local history are still encouraged to participate. The event will take place at the Calumet Theater in Calumet at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 27. It is part of the popular Fourth Thursday in History series sponsored by Keweenaw National Historical Park. For further information and to register teams contact Brian Hoduski at (906) 337-1104 ext. 251 or brian_hoduski@nps.gov. Registration information and other details about the event will also be available soon on the park's website.