Scholastic Competition

LCS Crowns two State Champions in Writing Competition

A word from Scott Plaster, Scholastic Director
splaster@lexcs.org

Just as being on a sports team leads players to work hard toward goals during a season, academic competition motivates our students to excel in their studies. Competing against other peers builds leadership and self-esteem.

As Scholastic Director at LSHS, I help students and teachers learn about scholastic competitions across the state and plan for and coordinate school-wide activities that lead to them. Lexington High School is an NCASA member, so we are eligible to compete in a number of statewide academic competitions. The "Other Contests" link also lists numerous other contests worth pursuing. Our results in all of these contests add toward points in the NCASA Scholastic Cup.

Last year, LSHS finished fifth overall in the state in the Scholastic Cup points race, finishing behind only two of the largest schools in the state, and two magnet schools (including the School of Science and Math)! See stories about those results in the Dispatch. Our very own Principal Taylor also won the NCASA Principal of the Year!

This year promises even more opportunity for our students, at both the Middle and High School. Pam Belk is my counterpart at the Middle School and she has marshaled the staff there to prepare our students for a number of competitions.

The mantra that I used to drive the competition last year was "You can't win if you don't compete." With a similar theme, the words of a West African proverb tell us that "a man who does not leave his hut will bring nothing in."

Quiz Bowl  Two teams of four compete head to  head to be the first to answer questions read by a moderator.	Coach: Ms. Shirk
The Quill Teams of four students must create written products given a prompt from each of four writing styles. This competition yielded two individual state champions last year, and we narrowly missed a team state championship by less than a point.	Coach: Mr. Plaster
Twelve  Teams of twelve students tackle twelve topics with twelve questions each.  SEE how we did last year.	Coach: Ms. Poole
Show Choir  Show Choirs from around the state compete in a live competition to battle for the championship. It is uncertain whether we will enter this competition this year.
NC Economics Challenge  - students to demonstrate knowledge of Economic Literacy by competing with students across the state in written and "Quiz Bowl" examinations culminating into sudden death rounds.	Economics Coach: Mr. Hairston
NC Science Olympiad & Envirothon - Our brightest science whizzes go head to head with the state's best.
NC State Mathematics Contest  - Mathletes compete in Algebra, Geometry, and Comprehensive categories
Debate Team  - Our school chess team is open to students in all grades. Students compete with each other but also travel to regional tournaments and the state championship.	Coach: Mr. Raker
Battle of the Books (BOB)  - A team of students reads a range of  books and then competes to see who knows them best!	Coach: Ms. Chauncey
Chess Club  Our school chess team is open to students in all grades. Students compete with each other but also travel to regional tournaments and the state championship.	Coach: Mr. Plaster
Art Showcase  This first-ever statewide NCASA art competition gives a team a chance to create works of art centered around a theme, with each artist working in a different medium.	Coach: Ms. James
Other Contests  These competitions also count toward the Scholastic Cup.