One of the most valuable skills that one can possess is a love for learning. While learning may sometimes seem like a chore, gaining an appreciation for it can provide motivation to unlock future opportunities for success.

High school is a key time to develop this important skill. Here at CHS, one easily accessible gateway to establishing a passion for learning can be found in Academic League.

“Academic League is a competitive trivia activity, so basically it revolves around school subjects [and] outside knowledge,” senior Claire Corrigan, a member of the varsity Academic League team said. “It’s a really fun activity because it involves a lot of team-building, and also you have opportunities for individual success as well as team success.”

The trivia questions asked in each match extend across a wide variety of subjects, challenging participants to gain a broad foundation of knowledge throughout their Academic League experience.

“There’s all sorts of topics that are covered, most of the stuff that [students] learn in school: math, science, history, languages, pop culture, current events, just a whole mix of everything,” Mrs. Downey said, the coach of the freshman Academic League team.

Despite placing a heavy emphasis on academic subjects, this activity can be said to closely resemble a game.

“I always describe it as ‘Team Jeopardy’”, Mr.Spanier, the coach of the varsity Academic League team said. “Each team has five players. There’ll be a moderator, kind of like in Jeopardy. They’ll read the questions, and we try to ‘buzz in’ before the other team. If we get [the question] right, we get points, and then we’ll get a bonus question for the five players to talk out”

Academic League is a very team-oriented event, with every member bringing their unique skills to the table. This is especially augmented by the fact that participants often take part in a variety of other extracurriculars and contribute knowledge from these activities.

“Our members are involved in things like ASB, band, orchestra, speech, and debate, and things like that, which allow us to be a much more well-rounded team, so when it comes to questions that are more niche knowledge, we have the upper hand in that,” Corrigan said.

This involvement from such a wide range of participants is likely due to the fact that Academic League is not a major time commitment, making it available even to those with busy schedules.

“We don’t consume a lot of time,” Spanier said. “We’re a stronger team because we have people from all of those different clubs and organizations that will come for a couple of practices a week. Our practices aren’t long, and we’re a better team because our players are involved in so many different things.”

Academic League carries many benefits for its members, as it allows them to expand their knowledge and to have fun while doing so.

“Academic League is great because it’s not just memorizing things,” Corrigan said. “It also really helps your brain become sharper, and it really fosters a love of learning. With the stress of school, it can be easy to forget that love of learning, but for Academic League, you really are just doing it for enjoyment’s sake.”

This activity also gives students an opportunity to work as a team, as well as to exhibit their team spirit and sportsmanship when competing with other schools.

“It’s great for students to meet other people at different schools,” Downey said. “A lot of students are just super supportive of each other because they have the same interests, so it’s great seeing students interact with one another. We can still be competitive, but we can also be kind to one another.”

Being a part of the Academic League community leaves a lasting impression on many of its members throughout their time in high school.

“I love seeing my students grow as people,” Downey said. “What I love about being the freshman coach is that I see them at such a young age… and by the time that they’re seniors, you can see how much they’ve grown and how much confidence they’ve gained in themselves.”