The Middle School Tenacity Challenge competition will consist of three events centered around the theme of leadership, empowerment and tenacity. The competition will take place on April 29, 2017. Each 6-7 member team will determine its own division of labor in order to prepare for the three events:
- Leadership Action Project
- Math Quiz Bowl Challenge
- Global Voices Literary Analysis
Leadership Action Project
The leadership project focuses on the Tenacity team organizing with other students to mobilize change within the school community.
Teams are asked to identify a problem or issue within their school community. Beginning October 1st, Tenacity team members must devise and enact a plan to raise awareness and educate their community on the issue. The issue may be anything of importance to the team; including, but not limited to a social, environmental or political concern. The plan must include action steps to not only raise awareness, but also steps that may be taken to address this challenge. It is important to note that not all steps to “solve” or address the issue must be taken prior to the creation of the presentation of the project and the overall purpose is not to “solve” the issue.
Students will design a leadership plan for next steps in furthering positive change related to the theme of their project to empower their community.
Students are required to create a presentation for the day of the Tenacity Challenge. The presentation may be in the form of a 2D or 3D installation, PSA or an artistic mural; however, it must contain:
- A description of and rationale for why the topic was chosen
- A description of what steps were taken to raise awareness and/or address the issue
- A description of the challenges faced during the development and implementation process
- A reflection on what impact was made on the school community and/or school culture as a result of the leadership project.
- What evidence will show some quantitative or qualitative way to analyze impact?
Math Quiz Bowl Challenge
Math quiz bowl teams will consist of three members. The team determines the division of responsibilities. All teams will compete at the same time and will have an equal opportunity to answer all questions. The moderator will read the question. After the question is read, teams will have a designated amount of time to answer each question. Times will vary depending on the difficulty of the question and the amount of calculation required. Questions for the quiz bowl will be drawn from the subjects of: Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and Geometry
Global Voices Literary Analysis
Prior to the competition, students should have engaged in a sustained study of one or more books. Choosing from a list of titles, students will compose a creative response, which may be a poem, an original song with lyrics and musical score, letter to a major character, a letter from a major character to a leader or influential person connected to the time or struggle, or an additional scene or sequel event to the story.
The response must be accompanied by a written explanation that answers the following questions:
~Why did you choose this response form ….song, letter, skit, etc.?
~ What additional theme or idea (other than the idea of tenacity) that the author presented through the story are you trying to show through your creative piece?
The creative response will be recorded prior to the event and may be read or performed by up to three team members. Each team’s response must be submitted prior to the competition by March 31, 2017. The teams with the highest scoring performance will be invited to perform at the event.