Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 22, 1992 TAG: 9202220076
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETE WELL
Students probably have never looked happier going to school than did those who returned to the Southwest Virginia Governor's School on Friday from the 1992 Academic Excellence Conference at Virginia Tech.No wonder.
They brought with them the top awards in both senior and junior team competitions in their division, as well as first place in an engineering event - construction of a weight-bearing bridge made entirely of toothpicks.
It was the first time the nearly 2-year old magnet school had entered the conference. So the noise, whoops and spraying of Silly String streamers out of cans at one another - unlikely to be tolerated any other time - were forgiven.
Other winners among the 50 schools from across Virginia included the Roanoke Valley Governor's School, which won first place for team competition in its division, and Blacksburg High School, first in its division. Christiansburg High School placed fifth in that division.
"We're really proud of them, to go in for the first time like that," said Pat Duncan, director of the Southwest Virginia Governor's School. "In knowing the students, I felt that they could really compete well if given the opportunity."
Brooks Moses and Eddie Simmers, both from Pulaski County, won the toothpick bridge competition with a structure that supported 1,023 pounds. One other entry that held 1,004 pounds was disqualified, and none of the others bore more than 983 pounds.
Moses said each bridge-building team was given 800 toothpicks for the building project.
"We only used 794 of them," he said.
The two-hour team competitions in six divisions, depending on school sizes, gave each team 145 questions covering biology, chemistry, computer fundamentals, English, mathematics and physics. Team members could consult one another and use books they brought along to the conference.
Senior team members from the Southwest Virginia school were Moses, Simmers and Aaron Smith from Pulaski County; Marty Fowler, Carroll County; Toby Hall, Wythe County; Brian Weaver, Giles County; Jia Liu, Grayson County; and Chris Sutphin, Bland County. Juniors on the other team were Aaron Mumaw, Floyd County; Sam Turner, Carroll County; Phuong Lui and Chastity Friend, Pulaski County.
Jerian Abel, a faculty member at the school, worked with the students in practice sessions in the weeks leading up to the conference. She said the teams mainly practiced strategy in working out their answers quickly and accurately.