The Columbiana Community Foundation donated $2,626 to the Columbiana High School Quiz Bowl team to pay for expenses for them to compete in the National Championships in Chicago, Illinois, April 28-29. From left, team members Isabella Glover and Luke Mackall with foundation member Shane Patrone. Not pictured are team members John Rhodes and Jeremy Sanfrey. (Submitted photo)

ROSEMONT, Ill. – On the weekend of Saturday, April 29, Columbiana High School joined 131 of the top quiz bowl teams from small public high schools at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago for the 2023 Small School National Championship Tournament to determine who was the best.

Quiz bowl is a competitive, academic, interscholastic activity for teams of four students. Quiz bowl teams use buzzers to answer questions about science, math, history, literature, mythology, geography, social science, current events, sports and popular culture. The matches feature a blend of individual competition and team collaboration, since no individual player is likely to be an expert in all subject areas. Participation in quiz bowl both reinforces lessons from the classroom and encourages players to develop new intellectual interests.

The team, in the Traditional Public Schools Division, was captained by John Rhodes, who was joined by Isabella Glover, Luke Mackall and Jeremy Sanfrey. The team was coached by Debra Ulam.

Columbiana was one of 18 Ohio teams competing at the national championship and finished the preliminary rounds with a 6-4 record, which qualified them for the playoffs.

Columbiana High School played Garfield from near home in round 3, suffering a 520-160 defeat, and also suffered a narrow loss to Riverside from Oakland, Iowa, 200-175 during round 13. Columbiana’s shot at the title ended when they lost to Geneva A from New York in round 16.

Columbiana High School finished in 33rd place in the Traditional Public Schools Division. They also finished 17th among Very Small School teams.

The Traditional Public Schools Division champion was Fair Grove R-X School Fair Grove, Missouri. The Open Division champion was the A team from BASIS Independent McLean McLean, Virginia.

The 2023 Small School National Championship Tournament (Traditional Public Schools Division)’s field featured 77 teams from 20 states.