Each year, a select few Wolverines are given the unique opportunity to take part in the world’s longest running television quiz show in the world, It’s Academic. Most recently, three students from the Academic Team, sponsored by physics teacher Ms. Erin Barrett, ventured to a studio on October 1st, 2023 in Washington D.C. to have their trivia knowledge put to the test on a television show. All the behind-the-scenes preparation felt worth it for competitors William Den Herder, Taylor Grande, and Claire Harvey when their episode aired on November 18th, 2023. The opportunity to go on the game show is not offered to just anyone, but each student puts in hours of work during club meetings and in their own time to prepare.
Barrett is the Academic Team’s teacher sponsor for the eighth year in a row. She was no stranger to the world of academic competitions before becoming the sponsor, as she had previously volunteered at academic competition events when she worked at Potomac Falls. When former Academic Team sponsor Mrs. Spicer retired from Woodgrove, her co-coach reached out to Barrett offering her the position, and the rest is history. After several years of coaching experience, Barrett has learned the ins and outs of what makes a team successful. “Having multiple perspectives and abilities in students helps a lot because the content is so varied. Math, history, literature, geography, art, sports, mythology, are all topics seen in academic competitions. You start to know one another’s capabilities, so you can rely on each other for knowledge,” explained Barrett.
The Academic Team practices every Wednesday morning and on Thursday green club days to get used to the different kinds of questions that can be presented. Students who do not film for the yearly episode of It’s Academic still become heavily involved through participation in the VHSL League Scholastic Bowl. “I love traveling to other schools to compete and grow in my ability to answer challenging questions,” senior Kayla Forester expresses. Every member of the club is invited to compete if they wish, but not forced to in any way. Woodgrove has a history of success in the VHSL Scholastic Bowl, being the state runner-up twice and state champs in 2015.
Knowing that the chance of being on the show depends on points earned in practice, “students gain a sense of added intensity and accountability in the months leading up to filming,” explained Barrett. Success is based on fast recall, so students learn to listen for keywords that can bring them to the right answer within seconds. Students who score the highest in practice, therefore being selected for the television competition, travel to D.C. Altman productions studios to film. Woodgrove has competed in the show annually, and certain behind-the-scenes changes have come about since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. In recent years, the studios have become much smaller, so the audience is now upstairs watching the show from monitors. The live audience has been replaced with a large amount of equipment, so it makes the environment feel more intense due to the lack of familiar faces. Barrett offers the inside scoop of what emotions come along with filming: “You can’t really prepare for freezing on tv, so it definitely can be nerve wracking for the kids. The host Hillary Howard is really good at sensing when the kids are nervous and easing stress with humor and warm smiles.”
Members of the team increase in academic knowledge during practices while having the chance of going on live television, making relationships with one another along the way. “My favorite part of being on the Academic Team is getting to grow alongside my twin sister Hannah,” says senior Kayla Forester. Barrett emphasizes the joy that The Academic Team brings to her despite tough competition. She reflects, “The kids are great. We are just having fun nerding out. We don’t always get the questions right, but we are having a good time. That is the reason I keep coming back.”
The Academic Team is preparing to have another exciting season, and looks forward to venturing to D.C. Altman productions studios yet again later this fall.