Seventh graders from SBISD medal at the International Geography Championships
By Rosabella Chu, Memorial High School
Two SBISD seventh graders returned from the International Geography Championships in Thailand with multiple medals, showcasing the growing success of SBISD students in academic competitions.
International Academic Competitions (IAC) is an organization that hosts buzzer-based quiz tournaments across geography, history, science, and humanities for elementary, middle, and high school divisions. Students can advance to the regional, national, international levels at the International Geography Championships (IGC) and International History Olympiad (IHO).
This year’s IGC was held in Khao Lak, Thailand, from July 4th to July 11th. Among the competitors in the middle school division, Spring Branch Academic Institute’s seventh grader Bolin Zhang medaled in multiple events. He has been competing in IAC since third grade.
Zhang won second place in the USA at 250 Geography Exam; second place in the family scavenger hunt; third place in the Culinary Geography Bee; second place in the Blitz; first place in the International Geography Bowl; and finally first place in the Travel and Tourism Exam. Overall, he came into 18th place in the middle school division.
Zhang also competes in Quiz Bowl through National Academic Quiz Tournament, a different academic competition. He believes that Quiz Bowl allows players to expand their worldviews and excel academically.
“Learning more allows me to do better in school, and be more informed of the places I visit and the things I do,” Zhang said.
Zhang uses a multi-resource approach when he studies, citing resources like Qbreader, Anki and Quizlet.
“You can also get pretty good buzzes just by reading books. That’s the easiest way to improve,” Zhang said. “YouTube is not as bad as parents say, even YouTube shorts or TikTok can teach you some stuff.”
Quiz Bowl teaches a person to never give up, according to Zhang.
“Giving up, at this point, I don’t think about it that much, I worked so much, what am I going to do after I waste all that time studying? I don’t want that to go to waste,” Zhang said. “I studied this much, I shouldn’t quit now, I should keep going.”
Zhang wasn’t the only local student to find success at the championships. Another seventh grader in the middle school division also medaled in several events at IGC. Crystella Chu, from Memorial Middle School, won first place in the Alexander War Council Model UN, third place in the World Health Organization Model UN, and second place in the Symposium.
This year was Chu’s first year competing at IGC. Model UN is a simulation where students role-play as diplomats and debate geopolitical issues, and Symposium is an essay writing competition where students must write a 2000-word essay and give an oral defense. Chu’s essay was about Eurocentrism in UNESCO Heritage sites.
“It was really hard, and I was critiqued very harshly. However, I pulled through, and I was very shocked I even had words for twelve pages,” Chu said. “The thing about Symposium is that you have to believe and truly care about what you write.”
Chu believes that Model UN produces many benefits in that it builds character and communication skills.
“Right now it's not as important when you’re a kid, but when you grow up and go into a business environment, it is absolutely so important to be able to talk to your colleagues, talk to people you work with, and get them on board with your plan,” Chu said. “Collaboration is very important.”
Chu describes the different skills and character traits needed to excel in both Quiz Bowl and Model UN.
“In Quiz Bowl, you can be really smart, all you have to do is press a button and give an answer; but in Model UN, you have to be a leader, you have to build your coalition, and you have to be very persuasive,” Chu said. “You have to get people to agree with your ideas on any condition. You also need strategic thinking.”
Chu finds Model UN rewarding because she enjoys the fun of leading.
“You pretend you can actually change something, and if you have the best structure, and the best way, and the best persuasion, everyone will listen to you, because you are the strongest delegate in that room,” Chu said.
Chu will be attending Memorial High School and plans to revive the Model UN club. She is also planning to build a beginner-friendly Model UN website.
“[Model UN] is not very beginner friendly; I went into my first Model UN not knowing what a moderated caucus was, what an unmoderated caucus was, and I didn’t even have an opening speech,” Chu said.
Students interested in academic competitions can find out more information about NAQT at the introductory Quiz Bowl and IAC meeting to be held on August 10th, from 6-7:30 P.M. at the Kendall Neighborhood Library & Community Center. An interest form can be filled out here. All information needed to start a team, coach one, and begin competing will be given. A mock game will also be played, and experienced players will be there to answer questions.
“If you think you’re a pretty smart kid, you like to read books, and you’re competitive, you should come,” Zhang said. “Definitely try the buzzers, because a lot of people get buzzer happy.”
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