Submitted by Bedford’s Superintendent of Schools Jon Sills
On Saturday, April 6, 22 six-member teams of Latino and African-American high school students, representing fifteen urban and suburban school districts, will compete in the second annual LA2 Tenacity Challenge, an inter-district academic scholarship competition hosted at Bedford High School and comprised of four major events.
The Tenacity Challenge is a Bedford initiative and includes both non-METCO and METCO districts: Arlington, Bedford, Brookline, Cohasset, Lawrence, Lexington, Lincoln-Sudbury, Lowell, Melrose, Natick, Needham, Scituate, Sharon, Waltham and Weston.
Last year’s participants were so inspired by the competition, including the in depth three-month-long preparation process, that they have encouraged their peers to participate. Consequently, Lowell High School, which sent one team last year, is sending three this year. New schools, such as Lexington High, Natick High and Melrose High have registered for this year’s event.
This year’s theme, Fulfilling Promise, will be reflected in the History Argument (“Has South Africa fulfilled the promise of the post-apartheid constitution?”), in the Art Banner, and in the Literature Event, which involves a performance element.
The final event, a Math/Science Quiz Bowl, will focus on SAT questions, including Algebra I, Geometry, Physics and Chemistry content.
Tenacity Challenge strives to strengthen a culture of academic rigor and intellectual risk-taking rooted in peer support, higher-order thinking, and deepening student-teacher relationships.
At Bedford High School, 25 teachers and administrators have volunteered their time to plan this year’s Tenacity Challenge, to help prepare students, and to spend time facilitating the competition.
Many thanks to the Bedford High School Parents’ Association and several local churches for their financial support.
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