Chatsworth Hills Academy Middle School Places in Top 4 of California Schools in Academic Competition

March 23, 2011 - PRLog -- Fifth and sixth grade middle school students at Chatsworth Hills Academy (CHA) showed knowledge is power by placing fourth among California schools in the Knowledge Master Open,  a computer-based academic competition in which teams answer 100 questions in 12 academic areas.  CHA answered 90 of the 100 questions correctly and was one of 250 schools worldwide to compete in the sixth grade division, which is open to students in sixth grade and below.  

Despite its small size, CHA fielded a team of 40 students, one of the largest in the competition.  All fifth grade students were encouraged to participate along with interested sixth graders, some of whom had experienced the competition the prior year, when CHA first began to compete.  

“CHA’s mission is to provide our students with opportunities and expose them to a broad range of experiences,” said Tim Gerrity, Middle School Head and Dean of Students.  “The Knowledge Master competition teaches these students to work together as a team.   They learn to communicate, to work through conflict and to lead.  They come away with a real appreciation of their teammates’ individual strengths and how each person’s unique skill can be used for the overall good of the team.”  

“It’s really fun to test our problem solving skills, see how much we know and work as a team to find the right answer,” said sixth grader Rebecca Baron.  

This was CHA’s third time participating in the competition, which is held twice a year.  The team practiced in class, during lunch meetings and just prior to the event.  CHA’s 7th and 8th graders will compete in the 8th grade competition which will be held in April.  Earlier this academic year, sixth, seventh and eighth graders competed together in the California Mock Trial.

“We’re very proud of our middle school students and all they have accomplished,” said Ann Gillinger, Head of School.  “The skills they learn early on through competitions like these will serve them well throughout their lives.”

Designed to stimulate learning and recognition for academic achievement, the Knowledge Master Open runs on classroom computers to allow all students the opportunity to compete in a large academic event without the expense of traveling to a central site. The competition is presented twice each school year by Academic Hallmarks, a Colorado software publisher.

Chatsworth Hills Academy (CHA) is a private, independent college preparatory school serving students in preschool, elementary and middle school.  Located in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, CHA is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and is accredited by both the California Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.  For more information visit www.chaschool.org.

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CHA is an independent college preparatory school, preschool–8th gr. Emphasizing character development and critical thinking, its mission is to provide opportunities for students to fulfill their individual potential in a supportive, natural environment.