Maple Dale Students Top State in Knowledge Masters Competition

Maple Dale Middle School’s team usually places well in the annual Knowledge Masters Open academic competition, but this year’s placement was exceptional: first in the state, and 31st in the world, out of 227 teams that participated.

“I was so proud of them,” Dyan Wagner, Maple Dale’s gifted and talented teacher, said. “They come from parents who care and foster a love of learning.”

The kids dedicated many lunch hours to running through practice questions in Wagner’s classroom, where they later filled out their multiple-choice tests for the competition. The subjects ranged widely from fine arts, to biology, to government.

The 17 team members answered 100 questions together Jan. 25 for the competition, and only got eight wrong.

“They learn team skills, how to trust each other,” Wagner said.  “And they have such a good time.”