Dent Middle School emerged triumphant as the winner of the 13th annual Quiz Whiz Middle School Academic Tournament, marking their fifth victory since the tournament’s inception in 2011. Organized by Richland School District Two, Quiz Whiz brings together sixth through eighth-grade students from all seven middle schools within the district for a stimulating academic challenge.

Dent Middle School Team (l-r) Front Row: Dr. Tim Hicks, Brooke Farrell, Jacob Etheridge, Anaahat Singh, Sebastian Kassza, Ethan Brock, Liam O’Connor, Jaxon Hale, Sebastian Jones, Bioluwatife Olatosi, Willie McCall, Saurav Sailesh, Zain Bhola, and Mahek Patel.
(l-r) Middle Row: Brooke Farrell, Sebastian Kassza, Jaxon Hale, Judge Kimberly English  (l-r) Back Row: Judge Cheryl Hunter, Tournament Co-Manager Chuck Holland, Judge Angie Hill, Moderator Michelle Wyatt and Judge Andrew Smith

Resembling the National Academic Quiz Tournament, Quiz Whiz features demanding, pyramid-style questions covering a wide range of subjects including history, literature, science, math, fine arts, current events, and sports, emphasizing deep knowledge over trivial facts. The tournament took place at the R2i2 Conference Center situated at 763 Fashion Drive, Columbia, SC.

Under the guidance of Coach Dr. Tim Hicks, Dent Middle School showcased an undefeated performance, securing victory in six matches, including the championship round against E. L. Wright Middle School. Coached by Sarah Jaynes, E. L. Wright Middle School displayed commendable skill, winning four games and advancing to the championship round after breaking a three-way tie by accumulating more overall points.

EL Wright Middle School Team – Runner-up (l-r) Front Row: Coach Sarah Jaynes, Jewell Kendricks, Patrick Murr, Chase Harris, Michael Morgan, Laura Murr, Gertrude Swan, Caleb Davoll, Gabriel Wilson, and Caleb Crimminger (l-r) Back Row: Tournament Co-Manager Chuck Holland, Judge Cheryl Hunter, Judge Angie Hill, Moderator Michelle Wyatt, Judge Andrew Smith and Judge Kimberly English

The rich history of Quiz Whiz includes previous champions such as Kelly Mill Middle School (2011), E.L. Wright Middle School (2012, 2019), Summit Parkway Middle School (2013, 2015), Dent Middle School (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), and Blythewood Middle School (2020, 2022, 2023). The tournament was not held in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Congratulations to Dent Middle School for their outstanding achievement, demonstrating excellence in academic prowess and teamwork at Quiz Whiz!

Feature Photo – Dent Middle (left) and E.L. Wright Middle (right) competing in the Championship Round.