Richmond Hill, ON - Students at Charles Howitt P.S. have brought home the top prize from the elementary (Grade 7 and 8) Reach for the Top Championship.
The challenge began on CBC in the mid-1960s for high school students and was expanded to the elementary level in 2019. One of the first elementary tournaments was held at Armitage Village P.S in Newmarket.
Reach for the Top is an academic quiz, challenging students on topics ranging from high culture to academic subjects to popular culture. Ten teams from across six provinces gathered online to vie for the national junior championship in April.
The two YRDSB schools competing (Cornell Village P.S. and Charles Howitt P.S.) were successful in the round-robin and drew each other in the quarterfinals. Charles Howitt P.S. won, and then emerged victorious over two schools from Alberta to win the national championship, finishing their run with a closely contested 290-280 final.
“This accomplishment was a result of the commitment, passion, and perseverance of our students. I am proud of their success and humbled to work with such a wonderful group. It is always inspirational to observe their enthusiasm and I commend our students on their national championship,” said Charles Howitt P.S. Principal Elizabeth Lue-Kim.
“I’m extremely proud of our Board’s accomplishments and look forward to walking into Charles Howitt P.S. and seeing their championship banner!” said Armitage Village P.S. Teacher and Reach For The Top Co-Coordinator Ryan Vickers.
York Region District School Board is the third largest school district in Ontario with over 125,000 students in 180 elementary schools and 33 secondary schools. York Region students consistently perform above average in provincial testing and the Board is one of the top achievers in Ontario. For more information about the York Region District School Board, please visit the Board website and follow YRDSB on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
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