By Tess Malijenovsky
Beaufort County high schools are used to competing on the filed, on the court and on the track; but, for the first time ever, this coming Saturday schools will compete on their knowledge of international issues, geography and history.
The World Affairs Council of Hilton Head, in partnership with the Beaufort County School District, will present the region’s first Academic WorldQuest Competition from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday, March 3, at Hilton Head Island High School.  WACHH members, parents of participating students, educators and interested residents are invited to attend the free event.
The competition will be set up so that a multiple-choice question pops up on a large screen for the teams and audience to see. Teams of four students will have one minute to answer the question by using an electronic clicker. The categories focus on national security issues facing the United States: U.S. Education, Competing Globally, U.S. Energy Policy, U.S. Economic Competitiveness, the Middle East and China.  Additional questions will involve current events around the world.
“Technology is making our world more interconnected every day, and what happens in one country can have dramatic effects in dozens of countries in a matter of hours,” said Mike Fritz, a retired Emory University professor and world traveler who serves as the project director for Beaufort County’s first WorldQuest competition.  “It’s vital to our nation’s security and competitiveness that tomorrow’s leaders are knowledgeable about other countries and cultures.”