Brainerd places 2 teams in top 10 at state Knowledge Bowl meet

A group of people pose for a picture on a deck, with snow in the background. — Members of the Brainerd High School Knowledge Bowl teams pose with coach Dave Borash after earning sixth and ninth places in the state competition April 7-8, 2022, at Cragun's Resort. Pictured are: Back row, from left: Nicholas Backstrom, Reed Boekermann, Colten Dols. Second row, from left: Emelia Cosert, Caroline Gadacz, Christopher Gadacsz, Nicholas Moore. Third row: Coach Dave Borash, Karlton Anderson. Front: Roland Tigenoah.

By Dispatch staff report

April 26, 2022 at 5:00 PM

Brainerd High School’s Knowledge Bowl teams both placed in the top 10 at the AA division of the 2022 Minnesota Service Cooperative’s state Knowledge Bowl meet at Cragun’s Resort April 7-8.

Brainerd Blue finished in sixth place — the highest finish for any BHS team — while Brainerd White earned ninth place, trailing four points behind their teammates.

Region Five sent two additional teams from Pine River-Backus and Bertha-Hewitt, both of which participated in the A division, ranking 20th and 24th, respectively.

Knowledge Bowl engages nearly 1,000 teams across the state of Minnesota in academic competitions designed for students in seventh through 12th grade. During the contest, teams of students compete in written and oral rounds by answering questions related to all areas of learning. Questions test students’ recall, problem-solving and critical thinking skills related to the following curriculum areas: national and world affairs, government, American history, health and psychology, art and music, literature, biology, math, current events, Minnesota history, earth science, physical science, economics and law, world history, English, world languages and geography.

“This group of students has had to go through so much in the past two years,” said Dave Borash, Brainerd knowledge bowl coach, in a news release. “In 2020, the State Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 Quarantine. In 2021, the teams were allowed to compete but through Zoom. The experience simply wasn’t the same. This year, I started practices in the first week of September and the excitement of simply being together was clearly evident. The Brainerd Blue team went on to place first at each and every KB Meet with Brainerd White close behind. Their success is an indication of the quality of education provided by the teachers of ISD #181 and the continued support of education by their parents.”

Minnesota’s Service Cooperative has facilitated this senior high state competition since 1979. Teams are selected from within the Minnesota Service Cooperative’s 11 regions, bringing together the top 48 teams — 24 in AA division and 24 in the A division — for the state meet. Division of the two tiers is based on high school population size.

For more information about Knowledge Bowl and other academic competitions, contact Phillip Olsen at Sourcewell at 218-541-5290 or Phillip.Olsen@sourcewell-mn.gov .

By Dispatch staff report

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of "staff." Often, the "staff" byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

Hi, I'm the Brainerd Dispatch. I started working a few days before Christmas in 1881 and became a daily paper two years later. I've gone through a lot of changes over the years, but what has never changed is my commitment to community and to local journalism. I've got an entire team of dedicated people who work night and day to make sure I go out every morning, whether in print, as an e-edition, via an app or with additional information at www.brainerddispatch.com. News, weather, sports — videos, photos, podcasts and social media — all covering stories from central Minnesota about your neighbors, your lakes, your communities, your challenges and your opportunities. It's all part of the effort to keep people connected and informed. And we couldn't do it without support.