Peshtigo High School hosts Hi-Q playoffs

PESHTIGO – Students at Peshtigo, Gillett and Oconto Falls are currently preparing for the Hi-Q playoffs. Hi-Q, the longest standing interscholastic quiz program in the United States, draws from a variety of subjects for a fast-paced game where students compete in quizzes.

Each game starts at zero, and as questions are answered correctly points are gained. If a team is unable to answer, the other team can steal.

At each match three teams will compete across two rounds, with four students representing their team each round.

Peshtigo High School Hi-Q advisor Cindy Birch explained what goes into preparing for a match, “[My co-advisor Jackie Lemire and I] organize the materials and lead the practices. [The students] are given topics of concentration to study. They read the materials and prepare study docs. We meet as a team and quiz on these materials.”

Some of the materials that Peshtigo Hi-Q competitors might study include current events, chemistry, geography, Shakespeare, mathematics and much more.

Hi-Q has been played by local schools for nearly 50 years and is sponsored locally as well.

Farmers & Merchants Bank & Trust (FMBT) invests over $35,000 annually as the principal sponsor of the northeastern Wis. and Mich. Hi-Q program, which is overseen by Hi-Q Coordinator and Retail Banking Market Manager Lisa Maxwell.

The FMBT team explains on their website, “We believe the Hi-Q program continues to be an instrumental resource to support academic readiness, meeting many of the schools’ future planning objectives. Students must work collaboratively to learn new materials and perform in front of peers, teachers, parents and community. They practice an array of skills that take on the process of advanced learning, recalling information and preparing for assessment (weekly quiz matches). We have an amazing team of advisors who are an integral part of student instruction and motivation.”

The playoff game will be held at the Peshtigo High School on Thursday, April 3 at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Competing for a chance to go on to the national competition, held on Zoom on April 4, are: regular season first place finishing team Peshtigo High School, with Kaitlyn Deshaine, Rocco Ellie, Gwen Farell, Nico Fox, Ella Maxwell, Ali Mullins, Heidi Parma and Judah Williams; second place Gillett High School with Zander Davis, Scott Heroux, Nash Stage, Bradyn Wendorff, Graham Fisette, Chase Rosenlund, Ben Peterson and Jeremiah Froelich; and third place Oconto Falls High School with Landon Delfosse, Cason Weenig, Josie Holtz, Griffin Kopke, Maci Tucker, Orion Posusta, Kolten Krueger and Cole Bozile.

While the top team will compete in nationals, FMBT is offering prizes for the top three teams.

Cash prizes include $2,000 to first place, $1,500 for second place and $1,000 for third place. Commemorative plaques recognizing the school and students will also be awarded. FMBT will be holding a banquet to recognize these students in the spring.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the upcoming Hi-Q match to see which local school will take home top honors.