The newly formed Quizbowl Club at Townsend Harris has transformed what once known as the Trivia and Knowledge Club into a competitive academic team. In its first official year, the club has already competed in three tournaments, marking a new chapter for students interested in taking their trivia knowledge to the next level.
The transition to Quizbowl was also accounted for by club leaders and alumni who wanted to bring a more prestigious stage to the club. Before the start of the school year, newly appointed president Philip Dancel and class of 2024 alumna Anonnya Debi began reimagining the club’s purpose and potential. “We had months to think about it,” said Philip. “We met with SU President Alex Yauri, as well as seniors Ana Ramlagan and Shayra Shoshi, who pitched the idea of a club where students could apply their knowledge and critical thinking.” The proposed shift to Quizbowl promised to retain the fun, while creating a more competitive environment.
“Being a former co-president of the original club, it felt like the work we’d done laid the foundation,” said Philip. He emphasized that the change wasn’t just in its name but also restructured how members prepared, participated, and viewed the club.
Preparation for competitions includes practicing with questions from NAQT (National Academic Quiz Tournaments) in addition to practicing with Kahoot and Jeopardy games, according to Philip. Planning for competitions also became a key responsibility for board members, Philip said: “we had to take in consideration how far the tournament would be, the modes of transportation, and how much fees would cost if we entered.”
The switch was also motivated by a desire to bring a new level of competition and fast thinking to what was previously a more relaxed club. According to club advisor and Latin teacher Marianthe Colakis, the transition has “drawn some people who are interested in competing against other schools,” but now there comes an added factor of strategy and teamwork. She also highlighted that one member, Sahir Sadat, placed in the top ten at his first competition.
Sahir, now club secretary, said the club has “a chill, yet fast-paced environment” where students can enjoy trivia without too much pressure. Junior Anthony Lin, one of the club’s active members, said that during competitions “it was good to see how all our hard work pays off…I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who’s into trivia.”
Dr. Colakis said that for people interested in joining, “I’d ask them what they feel particularly knowledgeable about and build a team with a range of specialities, someone strong in science, another in literature, and so on.”
Looking ahead, Quizbowl hopes to expand its participation in competitions while welcoming more students to take interest in becoming a part of the club. “It is the idea of Quizbowl to not just enjoy learning trivia, but also to be using knowledge beyond what students learn in classes,” Philip said.
