Apr. 23, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2014
For additional information, contact:
Amanda Shell Jennings
Moxley Carmichael
(865) 255-0661
MORE THAN 900 STUDENTS TO COMPETE IN NATIONAL ACADEMIC TOURNAMENT IN KNOXVILLE
Do you think you’re smarter than a fifth grader? You probably couldn’t beat any of these students. The nation’s best and brightest students from across the country are making their way to Knoxville to compete in a national four-day event.
The 2014 Academic Games Leagues of America National Tournament (AGLOA) will take place from Friday, April 25, to Monday, April 28, at the Knoxville Convention Center.
“We are proud to welcome the Academic Games Leagues of America National Competition to Knoxville for a third time,” Knoxville Convention Center General Manager Mary Bogert said. “I have enjoyed seeing our future leaders expand their critical thinking and overcome the intellectual challenge of this competition.”
More than 900 students will compete in various intellectual board games designed to challenge them in mathematics, language arts and social studies. The students compete in categories by elementary, middle and junior/senior status.
“Parents and educators will be amazed at the level of learning and academic performance of these champion students,” said Larry Liss, Tournament Manager School. “Representatives are encouraged to come and see what is possible when student minds are challenged.”
Throughout the year, AGLOA teams compete in regional qualifying tournaments, and the top competitors qualify for the national competition in Knoxville. The students will compete in several event categories, including:
- Equations, a game played with cubes where the object is to create a balanced mathematical equation from the values that are rolled.
- On-sets, a game to teach mathematical set theory through spatial relationships and elimination of information.
- LinguiSHTIK, a game to teach grammar, vocabulary, spelling and writing.
- Propaganda, a question-and-response game that involves identifying techniques of persuasion often used by advertisers, politicians, editorialists and social interaction.
- Presidents, a question-and-response game that teaches students about the presidents of the United States and the different personalities, historical context and decisions that shaped their time in office.
- World Events, a question-and-response game that challenges students to learn about the major political and cultural events of the past year.
- WFF ‘N Proof, the most complex academic game of the competition which teaches students the fundamentals of symbolic logic.
Opening ceremonies will be held Friday at 6 p.m. Activities will take place in rooms throughout the Convention Center on Saturday, 8-10 a.m. and 1-8 p.m.; Sunday, 8-11:30 a.m. and noon-6 p.m.; and Monday, 8-noon and 1-6 p.m. Awards presentations for all age groups and events will take place from 7-10 p.m. on Monday, April 28, in the main ballroom.
About the Knoxville Convention Center
The Knoxville Convention Center, managed by SMG, is located in downtown Knoxville adjacent to the Sunsphere. It boasts a 120,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 27,000-square-foot divisible ballroom and up to 25 meeting rooms. For more information, visit http://www.knoxvilleconventioncenter.com.
