Many people might not know who helped discover the North Pole or when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. But Alachua County sixth- through 12-graders participating in the Santa Fe College Center of Excellence’s Brain Bowl county-regional competition did.
Three teams of five participants and two alternates faced off Saturday, answering questions about black history and culture. The Precious Pearls, sponsored by the Mu Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., placed first, which means its members will compete in the state championship for a chance to win scholarships.
“It is about learning our history, but it is also about getting money to go to college and furthering your education,” said Precious Pearls coach Sarah Richardson.
Every year, the Florida Education Fund hosts the annual competition to help expose students to African-American history and culture, said John Cowart, community liaison for the Santa Fe College Center of Excellence.
The teams were asked questions from the Black Heritage Trivia Game and from books like “The Color of Water” by James McBride.
Although the Great Achievers and Springs teams won’t move on, Harriet Stafford, director of the Center of Excellence at Santa Fe, said each participant deserved recognition for their efforts.
The Precious Pearls won the state championship last year. Now, the team is hoping for another win.
“We will begin practicing for state immediately because if we win state, we can get full scholarships,” said 16-year-old Amanda Tinker, team captain of the Precious Pearls and a junior at F.W. Buchholz High School.
Alachua County high school students compete in Sante Fe College’s annual Brain Bowl competition. The Precious Pearls beat out two other teams to win the two-hour tournament, which focused on black heritage. The competition is held every year.
