By Julie McCay Turner
The fifth Bedford High School LA2 Tenacity Challenge drew 34 teams from 16 schools to Bedford on Saturday, April 2.The first Challenge in 2012 drew just 13 teams, but sparked sufficient interest and commitment to continue.
According to Bedford Superintendent of Schools Jon Sills, the participating students produce “thrilling” work and their participation has a “transformative impact” on them as they spend nearly a year preparing for the competition with coaches and mentors from their individual schools.
The theme of this year’s Challenge was Immigration Policy and Equity, with a focus on Latin America. Click each link to learn the background for the History Challenge, the Literature Challenge Reading List, the Math and Science Quiz Bowl Concepts, and the Mural Competition Guidelines.
A Gallery of Images from the 2016 LA2 Tenacity Challenge
Click each image to see it at full size
Participating Schools, Teams, and Overall Winners
Participating schools and their teams for 2016 includedArlington High School: AHS Wonder Woman; Bedford High School: The Pathfinders, Empire, and Misunderstood Scholars; Burlington High School: Creative Minds of Burlington; Cambridge Rindge & Latin: Falcons; Jeremiah Burke High School: Burke Bulldogs; Lexington High School: Lexington Freedom Writers, Lex Strive, and Lexington Leaders of the Future; Lowell High School: The Dreamers, The Movement, and LHS Pioneers; Natick High School: Glaxia de Sabio, The Melting Pot, and Narnia; Needham High School: Bless Up and #Oscarssowhite; Sharon High School: Exo Planet, Purple Dynamite, and Soaring Eagles; Springfield High School: Springfield Renaissance; Swampscott High School: Swampscott METCO Elites; Taunton High School: Taunton Tigers Team A and Taunton Tigers Team B; Tech Boston Academy: Dorchester Bears; Wayland High School: Ineffable and Rosa’s Riveters; and Westwood High School: Swoosh and Prophecy Ryders.
Beyond the academic pride that comes from competing in the Challenge, the program has grown since its inception when 13 teams from 10 Greater Boston area schools arrived at BHS in March 2012. Prizes in the first challenge topped out with a $500 scholarship for each member of the overall winning team. This year there were 30 teams from 16 schools. The LHS Pioneers of Lowell High School, this year’s overall winner, took home scholarships worth $1,000 per member of the first place team; Springfield Renaissance from Springfield High School earned $500 as runners-up, and $300 went to each member of The Dreamers from Lowell High School for their third place finish.
Although Bedford’s cumulative scores didn’t qualify for scholarships this year, two Beford teams won medals: the Empire team in the Mural competition and the Pathfinders in the Literature Challenge.
“A big shout out goes to our local sponsors,” said Sills, “First Parish Church ofBedford, the Bedford Educators Association, and TutorDoctor, all of whom made generous donations.”
Reflections on the Day
Rev. John Gibbons, the senior minister at First Parish in Bedford, was a first-time judge in the History Challenge. “It was inspiring not only to hear some great presentations by young people on the challenging topic of immigration policy, but it was also inspiring to meet so many other adults who are committed to academic excellence. And who would guess that an academic competition could generate such excitement, team-work, and ear-splitting cheers? It makes me proud that this important event happens in Bedford, and that First Parish is one of its sponsors. Kudos to all!”
The Math-Science Bowl has been a feature of all five Tenacity Challenges, and BHS Mathematics Department Head Patrick Morrissey has been there each year. “The Math-Science Quiz bowl is always the highlight of the day for me. The entire event is a culmination of a massive team effort of volunteers, teachers, and administrators.”
Bedford volunteers along with BHS and Tenacity Challenge alumni offer substantial community involvement. “What moves me so deeply about this program, aside from its transformative impact on the students and the thrilling quality of the work that they produce,” said Superintendent Sills, “is the number of volunteers who make it possible. Between the coaching and organizing leading up to the competition and the judging and facilitating on the day of the event, we had over 40 Bedford Public Schools faculty and staff, 10 community members and 12 alumni contributing. What an exceptional statement of shared values and commitment to educational equity! It is a privilege to be a part of this community.”
The Organizers
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