Scholastic Bowl

HUMOR IN ACADEMIA Local weathercaster and funnyman Fritz Coleman kept the mood light at last week's Scholastic Bowl between four area high schools. "Welcome to the Scholastic Bowl, or as we refer to it, 'Academic Survivor,"' Coleman joked, referring to a popular CBS television show. Coleman, who has hosted the competition for several years, went on to talk about the banners identifying each school. "When I first got here, it was white recycled boards with spray paint.

Amber Willard GLENDALE -- As the game wore on, some members of the crowd leaned farther forward in their seats. With each point, they cheered their team. But it wasn't basketball or any other sport the crowd was applauding in the Glendale High School Auditorium Monday night. It was the Scholastic Bowl -- a contest in which students from four local high schools square off for trophies and bragging rights by competing with their brains. At the end of the night, the four boys from Crescenta Valley High School claimed the first-place trophy.

Amber Willard GLENDALE -- These teens know split infinitives. They know psychology, art history, math and science too. And come Monday, they'll know who knows the most. Four-person teams from four local high schools are meeting up Monday for the annual Scholastic Bowl in which the students, as well as one alternate, are tested on a range of subjects. For the first phase of the competition, each team member wrote an essay earlier this week about whether they believe minors should be tried as adults.

Alecia Foster NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Glendale high school students may be competing soon in the high-profile Los Angeles County Academic Decathlon. Glendale Unified School District officials plan to present the idea to high school principals at a meeting next month. "[It] was discussed a number of years ago," said Vic Pallos, spokesman for the district. At that time, district officials chose instead to start a similar competition between Crescenta Valley, Hoover, Glendale and Clark Magnet called the Scholastic Bowl.

Crowds cheering. Signs waving. Fans dressed in their favorite team jerseys, hair dyed a rainbow of colors in a show of support for their squads. Feet stomping. Tense, breathless moments as the results of competition are tallied, then announced. More cheers. Football game? Basketball? Track and field, maybe? Nope. All that rah-rah is in the name of brains, specifically the Academic Decathlon. Teams from all over Southern California competed in the decathlon two weekends ago, with Burbank High School, notably, finishing third and qualifying for the state competition.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- A team of five seniors from Hoover High School blew away three other teams to repeat as champions in the High School Scholastic Bowl. The team made up of Brandon Cipes, Raffi Djihanian, Vaheh Shirvanian, Elizabeth Van Houten and Rachael Van Houten defeated students from Clark Magnet, Crescenta Valley and Glendale high schools for the second year in a row. Hoover recorded 101 points in the 10th annual competition that had students answer questions in subjects of math, history, science, English and the fine arts.

Claudia Peschiutta CLARK MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL - Her work consists of a lot more than fines and filing. As a library media teacher, Susan Newcomer has made going to the library an integral part of the educational program at Clark Magnet High School. When a teacher had her students write Gothic short stories, Newcomer pulled together background information on everything from architecture to story elements. For a class preparing to visit a Van Gogh exhibit, she selected Web sites to help the students identify works by the Dutch painter.