Travis Hermstein started the Iola High’s History Bowl program two years ago. His students have done nothing but thrive through the competition. HERMSTEIN SAID the History Bowl competition was started on a national level three years ago by a Jeopardy winner — he used his prize money to start the scholar’s bowl-type event.
This year, two of the three teams that competed on the state level have qualified for national competition in Washington D.C. The third team will serve as alternate for the qualifiers. Hermstein, the history teacher at IHS, said the teams qualified by garnering a second-place position at the state tournament in Chanute.
The final step is raising funds to get the students to D.C. — Hermstein said $6,000 is needed to send the 12 students to the nation’s capital.
“The financial need is greater,” Hermstein said. “But I’m confident that we will get there.”
Saturday the History Bowl team will host the second annual community competition and pancake feed from 5 to 8 p.m.
Community members will have the opportunity to pair up with one of the history bowl team members and put their history knowledge to the test. Questions will pertain to Allen County, and also will have samples of questions the students will have to answer at the national level. Free-will donations will be accepted to raise money for the trip, which takes place on April 26 and 27.
In addition to the quiz competition, the team is hosting a spaghetti dinner benefit at St. John’s Catholic Church on April 13 from 5 to 8 p.m.
“It isolates an area of content that kids like,” Hermstein said. “It gives them an opportunity to learn about some history that I don’t have the time to teach.”
The competition brings in students from across the nation, about 250 teams total, including Guam and Puerto Rico in last year’s bowl. The national competition is at different national historic sites — last year’s event was at Mount Vernon. He said it is a unique experience for the competitors to experience different cultures and different types of people.
It brings the team together as well.
“They are a close-knit group, they are really good kids,” he said.
While the students have worked hard to get to this level, practicing and studying frequently, Hermstein said none of it would have been possible without community support.
“The community patrons in Iola are really good about helping their students,” he said. “In a small town, that’s where you go to.”
He said the Allen County Historical Society, which is helping to organize this Saturday’s event, has been integral to the process as well.
He said he hopes to see good turnouts at both events, so the kids will be able to get to D.C. as a reward for their hard work. Regardless, he said, the kids have been able to grow through their experience in the history bowl.
“My goal is to teach the kids to love history,” he said. “The History Bowl allows them to apply their history.”
IHS students hope to take knowledge to D.C.
