Students compete in Current Events Challenge 2007

Lots of practice, fast thinking and a lucky necklace led students from James B. Rolle School to victory Wednesday during Current Events Challenge 2007.

The Rolle team won the news-quiz event by knowing that Vermont has considered banning eating and smoking - while driving.

Ronald Regan School followed with second-place honors and the third-place spot went to O.C. Johnson.

Teams of six students from 23 schools in Yuma County and Winterhaven competed in the Current Events Challenge, which takes its questions from stories found in The Sun over the past three months.

"I feel great. I'm so excited!" shrieked winning team member Julian Boucherat, fingering his necklace boasting a fly embedded in a jewel of plastic. "This is my good luck charm!"

Fellow team member Austin Marshall credited "practice, practice, practice" for Rolle's win. Marshall stressed how the team didn't think it stood a strong chance of winning - until the end.

"When we got to third we thought 'This could actually happen,' then to second 'Okay this is really big!'" Marshall said. "Then it was 'Hallelujah' when we got to the last one.'"

The Sun started the event in 1986 as a way to promote newspaper readership among young people and to help keep them abreast of current events.

Alice Byrne School took the win in 2006.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

LOCAL

-Name the two military bases in Yuma: Marine Corps Air Station-Yuma and Yuma Proving Ground

(Answered incorrectly twice)

-Crossroads Mission and Rural-Metro Fire Department teamed up in April to collect what clothing item? Socks

(Answered correctly)

-Where does the Village Jazz Series take place? Yuma Palms Regional Center

(Answered incorrectly twice)

WORLD

-What famous Las Vegas hotel was imploded March 13? Stardust Casino

(Answered correctly)

-Sunlight is a great source of what vitamin? Vitamin D

(Answered correctly)

-To which branch of the armed services are the famed Blue Angels affiliated? U.S. Navy

(Answered correctly)

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WINNING TEAMS

-First: James B. Rolle School

-Second: Ronald Reagan School

-Third: O.C. Johnson School

FIRST PLACE TEAM MEMBERS

-Alliyah Beard

-Julian Boucherat

-Karlee Savage

-Austin Marshall

-Dayzha Ressler

Students compete in Current Events Challenge 2007

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Darin Fenger can be reached at

dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.