Walkersville High School students won this year’s countywide Academic Tournament, achieving their sixth win in the tournament’s history. Their first was in 1997, and they won again in 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2018. As the home of the championship team, Walkersville High gets to display the trophy.
In its 39th year, the local Academic Tournament brought fast-paced excitement as students put their knowledge and recall to the test in timed matches throughout January and February. Walkersville High School Principal Tracey Kibler commends coaches Darrin Drum, Bryan Stillman, Colin Williams and John Van Bloem as well as all 89 students on her school’s winning team, which brought home the regular season plaque and the championship trophy.
Students from Brunswick High placed second, and the Urbana team placed third. Since 1982, Linganore teams have won the tournament nine times, Frederick High has tied Walkersville for six wins, Gov. Thomas Johnson and Middletown have each won five, Brunswick and Urbana have won three times, and teams from Catoctin and Tuscarora have each won once.
Tradition includes bestowing the Charles “Chuck” Thomas Memorial Award, often referred to as the curriculum specialists’ award, after the championship to an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the tournament’s success. This year’s award winner is Kevin Kendro, FCPS supervisor of athletics and extracurricular activities.
Tournament coordinators launched a new SPIRIT (Sportsmanship, Positivity, Inspiration, Respect, Integrity, Teamwork) Award this year; it went to Frederick High School.
Retired Walkersville High School teacher Eric Reickel served as master of ceremonies, reading questions at the event. Linganore High School media specialist Marsha Thompson coordinated this year’s tournament, with assistance from STV Inc. Engineering Specialist Kelly Misner, who competed on the Walkersville High Academic Tournament team when she was in high school.
FCPS has posted a video of the championship online at https://youtu.be/JQHuZoc5v7U.