Parklane Academy Students Win Quiz Bowl at Mississippi College

Moderator Tommy Leavelle joins President Blake Thompson to congratulate Parklane Academy students winning the 36th annual Mississippi Academic Competition at Mississippi College. Leavelle serves as an MC mathematics professor.

Parklane Academy students fielded questions on American history, world geography, math and other topics. The teens from the Christian school in McComb scored enough points to win Mississippi College’s quiz bowl.

In the fourth and final round, Parklane students on December 5 edged their Jackson Prep counterparts from Flowood. The visitors from the private academy in Pike County prevailed by scoring 275 points to 265 for Jackson Prep.

Coming down to the wire, the finals were staged in the Leland Speed Library’s Learning Resources Center. MC President Blake Thompson congratulated students on both teams and did a little friendly recruiting. 

Math professor Tommy Leavelle served as the moderator at the 36^th annual Mississippi Academic Competition and tossed out the questions.

After taking a few minutes to be honored, Parklane Academy students like varsity soccer player Luke Boarman, 17, couldn’t stay long on the Clinton campus.

The captain of the quiz bowl team, Luke needed to leave quickly to catch the 80-mile ride home. Boarman was playing in a soccer game for the Parklane Pioneers squad in a contest that day versus Oak Forest Academy. A midfielder who wears No. 10, the Parklane Academy senior was selected the MaxPreps player of the game.

Parklane Academy’s winning team at the academic competition also includes students Manas Sharma, 17, Mia Montalvo, 18, and MacKenzie Charles.

The Parklane students began preparing for the event in August. The teens spent nearly an hour daily practicing. They rapidly responded to questions at the tournament at Mississippi College, just like their Jackson Prep rivals.

“It was a lot of math,” Walker Willis said.

Willis and LeAnne Bradford along with 8^th grader Josh Hartz rounded out the Parklane squad.

Parklane Academy’s top administrator, Jack Henderson, joined other teachers and staff pleased with the school’s triumph.

Henderson saluted the work of outstanding Parklane seniors and others who competed during the tournament. “It is truly rewarding to see their hard work result in such a memorable victory.”

Henderson also offered his congratulations to the team sponsors, Carol Reeves and Dr. Shahla Anderson.

A total of 26 Mississippi high school teams competed. Other leading student squads excelling in earlier rounds included Manchester Academy of Yazoo City, Madison Central High, Madison-Ridgeland Academy and St. Aloysius High of Vicksburg.

The Mississippi College Office of Continuing Education sponsored the event.