TEXT BELOW:
For the second year in a row, the Newark High School MasterMinds Club has won the regional MasterMinds League Championship. The five high schools in the MasterMinds League are Dundee, Midlakes, Newark , Penn Yan and Romulus.
Newark High School Social Studies Department Leader Mark Eakins, who teaches 11th grade Social Studies and is the MasterMinds team adviser, said the NHS Varsity team finished the season 10-2.
They participated in the regional finals at Gates Chili and lost in the first round to Penfield and McQuaid. Eakins commended seniors Elijah Malach and Adam Hernandez for their “consistent” participation in the MasterMinds meets that ran this school year from October to April. Other Varsity team members included: Juniors Ariana Newark, Andrea Malach, Brighton Frederick and Jordan Brooks. JV team members included: 9th graders Ryan Hinks and Mikalya Miller, 10th grader Alicia Hernandez; and 11th grader Jocelyn Hinks.
Also of note is that the Newark Middle School Academic Challenge Bowl team, made up of four sixth graders, won their League Championship. Tristan Adigwu, Henry Ganster, Henry Klemann and Jayden Meritt competed against teams consisting of mainly 7th and 8th grade middle schoolers in this league from Dundee, Geneva, Newark, and Penn Yan. Karen Maynard, NMS 6th grade math teacher and advisor to the Academic Challenge Bowl team said the team won 7 matches out of 8 this year.
“They also made it to the area finals at Eastridge High School for the regional ACB playoffs. Playoffs featured a 16-team field, playing a four-round, single-elimination bracket. Making it this far is a big deal for four sixth graders playing against larger and older teams. Overall, they did really well this first year. They gained a lot of confidence and grew in their leadership and teamwork abilities. I am very proud of them.