Big Island high schools win big at world affairs competition on O‘ahu

Three teams of Big Island students delivered award-worthy performances at the Pacific & Asian Affairs Council’s 20th annual Hawaii Regional Academic WorldQuest Competition.

The competition – hosted at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Campus Center Ballroom on O‘ahu – featured over 100 students from 13 public, private and charter schools from O‘ahu, Maui and Hawai‘i Island.

Taarini Godbole, Abigail Jensen, Claire Kildahl and Beatrice Kim-Lee from Waiakea High School in Hilo won the grand prize, which includes paid airfare and hotel accommodations to represent Hawaii at the national competition in Washington, D.C. in April.

This is the second year in a row Waiakea High School has won the competition. Godbole, Jensen and Kim-Lee were all members of last year’s winning team.

The Runner-Up Prize was awarded to Anna Payesko, Malina Chiddo, Andries Ferreira, and Sophie McIvor from Kealakehe High School in Kailua. County prizes were also awarded to students from Punahou School, Konawaena High School in Kona and Maui High School.

Students were tested this year on their knowledge in six categories:

• Battle of the Century: Autocracy vs. Democracy
• The Future of Supply Chains
• Combating Global Food Insecurity
• Economic Sanctions – A Double-Edged Sword
• Atrocity Prevention and Accountability
• Securing the Future of the World’s Wildlife

Each category had 10 multiple choice questions each, 60 questions total. Students worked together in teams to answer each question in one minute. Students were provided with a study guide to help them prepare and were encouraged to study as a part of their Pacific & Asian Affairs Council extracurricular club or after-school classes.

The Academic WorldQuest Competition is a nationwide international trivia competition organized by the World Affairs Council of America across the country. In Hawai‘i, the event is hosted by the Pacific & Asian Affairs Council and sponsored by the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation.