The RCHS Academic Team closed the year with a trip to the Academic Super Bowl State Finals at Purdue University earlier this month.

The English team composed of Laura Neuman, Chris Counceller, Bekah Lord, Caitlyn Ritter, and Alahna Griffith (along with alternate, Danniella Banks) qualified for this competition in April and they finished the season as one of the top eight teams in the state.

This year the focus of the competition was on the Civil War era from 1820 to 1877.

The RCHS academic team members have been preparing for this meet since mid-January. Team members for the subject areas of English, Fine Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies have been meeting once a week to research, read materials and answer practice questions.

Students received an outline for each subject area to help them determine what to study. Much of the preparation for this kind of competition must be done on the student’s own time.

RCHS served as host for the Hoosier Heritage Conference Academic Super Bowl competition in March.

The science team finished 2nd in the HHC, and the English team took 3rd place in the conference.

In the area qualifying competition at Batesville in April, the science team took third place in their division. The math team took second place by virtue of a tie breaker. Likewise, the interdisciplinary team earned a second place ribbon with a tie breaker. The highlight of the year was the first place finish by the English team and their birth in the academic super bowl state finals.