Model Middle School is the 2012 Academic Quiz Bowl middle school champions for Floyd County Schools.  The Academic Quiz Bowl is a county-wide academic competition that was held on Tuesday, February 14 at Shorter University.   Sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade gifted students across the county participated in the Middle School Quiz Bowl. This is the tenth year students have competed at the middle school level. Middle school students compete in the academic areas of math, literature, vocabulary, science, history, and geography.  The quiz bowl began eleven years ago with students at the elementary level.

Model Middle was the overall winner in the Floyd County Schools Kaleidoscope Academic Quiz Bowl competition with 1,450 total points. Pepperell Middle finished a close second with 1,420 points, Armuchee Middle placed third with 1,255 points and Coosa Middle was fourth with 1,210.  The middle school competition also divides the competitors into grade levels and crowns grade level champions.  Along with taking overall honors, Model Middle finished in first place in the sixth-grade division, Coosa Middle School took the seventh-grade title and Pepperell Middle finished first in eighth-grade.

The quiz bowl competitions were started to promote student academic growth in problem solving, critical thinking, communication skills, and advanced research skills. The activities also promote leadership and provide motivation for students to excel in academics. The Quiz Bowls are local school system events with no region or state competitions. McCall Govignon, director of advanced academic programs for Floyd County Schools, sees this type of academic program as setting the stage for high school academic competitions. “This is a great event for our gifted students because it exposes them to the college atmosphere through our partnership with Shorter University to host the events,” Govignon said. “The event also prepares our middle school children for participation in academic decathlon competitions at the high school level.”

Model Middle team members include: eighth-grade - Ella Claire Chambless, Asia Hughes, Makayla Keasler, Trey Leonard, Blake McCarley, Dane Valentine;  seventh-grade - Dustin Bailey, Cameron Bohannon, Stephen Boylan, Sam Bryant, Hunter Hays, Tyler Lamb, Bailey Upton, David Mountain;  sixth-grade - Brie Bishop, Lane Boyd, Ellie Gross, Andrew Hart, Tiffany Lamb, Mark Moran, Candice Peeler.  Coaches were: Kelly Dooley, Brandi Couey, and Jennifer Laney.