On Saturday, Middlesboro Elks Lodge #119 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks hosted an Academic Quiz Contest for local youth who will be in either the 7th, 8th, or 9th grades next school year. Held at the Elks Lodge building on N. 25th Street, the quiz consisted of 70 questions about American History and United States Geography, most of which were multiple choice.

Made possible by a grant to the local Lodge from the Elks National Foundation, a total of $1,700 in Walmart gift cards were awarded as prizes to 13 different students. Kenneth Treece of Pineville placed first in the competition with a score of 63 points out of a possible 70. He was rewarded with a $400 gift card and medal for his efforts.

Maggie Jones from Middlesboro placed second and received a $200 card and medal. The next 11 high scores, all of whom had passing grades, received $100 cards. After all students had completed the quiz, pizza and soft drinks were provided to the contestants, parents and others present.

According to Elks President Tommy Harrell, history and geography were chosen as the subjects for the quiz because of reports of wide spread concerns from the nation’s education leaders that students are struggling with these subjects. For example, reportedly in a recent national sample of eighth-graders who took standardized tests, just 18 percent of students scored at a level considered proficient in U.S. history. Only 27 percent reached that level in geography and just 23 percent did so in civics.

Harrell states that the Elks may continue this event in the future at least annually with the hope that this kind of academic competition for these age students, where they can see that studying and learning can have actual tangible and valuable rewards at an early age, might help to fuel some student’s interest in academics, motivating them to apply themselves even more to their studies.