Thursday Feb. 7 seemed like any other Thursday. Until the evening came around.

Students and teachers alike ventured through the blustery, rainy weather, seeking shelter in the Carlsbad High School library. The annual Students vs. Teachers Academic League match had arrived. After weeks of training, it was time to see if the learners had become the masters. The varsity Academic League team pitted students against CHS teachers for the showdown of the year.

“It’s fun for the students to play against the teachers because they get to see how they do against people that they really respect,” Academic League coach Mrs. Peacock said. “The winner also gets bragging rights. It’s good practice for the students, and the teachers have been practicing too.”

Similar to jeopardy, the goal of the match is to rack up the most points by buzzing in and answering questions correctly.  The questions covered many different topics, such as math, literature, science, history, current events and more.  The intensity of the match – literally – spilled over; one attempt to quickly answer a question resulted in accidentally knocking over a cup of coffee.  While the intense match was close, the teachers were able to maintain their lead.

“It is incredibly challenging to play against our students because they are incredibly talented,” math teacher Mr. Rosen said. “The teachers win either way. If we get it right, it’s a point for us. But if they get it right, we know they are learning. It’s a lot of fun.”

This prestigious event even gained recognition from the CHS Loud Crowd, who provided moral support during the match. They added extra school spirit with their poster “sines” and boosted the morale of both the students and the teachers.

“It was very entertaining,” senior Francisco Olvera said. “The loud crowd added extra excitement to the match. I was rooting for the students, but deep down, I think I knew that the teachers would win.”

Although the teachers may stay in the lead for now, their bragging rights may not last for long. 

“Who wins really depends on the year,” Rosen said. “Some years we win, and some years it’s the students. It’s always really close.”