RATIONALE:
In the pursuit of academic excellence, the Academic Jumble, an academic contest was started in the Ateneo de Zamboanga Univeristy Grade School twenty years ago. There was a need to organize an activity such as this to tap the intellectual capabilities of students who belong to the upper 10% of the class in all the grade levels (Senior Preparatory to Grade VI).
This activity hopes to sharpen the academic competence of the students in four specific areas: English, Math, Science and Sibika. In this type of contest, the students are provided the opportunities to manifest their best in the areas mentioned. It does not only sharpen their minds but it also encourages them to face and accept challenges of life, to humbly accept defeat as well as triumph and to compete in a friendly manner. It likewise enhances development of positive attitudes toward work and study.
In line with our school goals, this contest cultivates academic strengths of students in specified areas, thus preparing them to be productive and of greater service to the community and to the nation as a whole. Hence, the Academic Jumble encourages the development to the fullest of the children who form part of our nation’s leadership bank and who are tomorrow’s nation builders.
OBJECTIVES:
The Academic Jumble aims to:
1. develop critical and analytical thinking
2. develop self-confidence and independence
3. develop the ability to follow direction properly
4. develop the competence in critically answering high level questions
5. accept one’s defeat calmly and good naturedly
6. develop self-reliance and sportsmanship
7. provide good models for other students
8. discover one’s academic strengths and weaknesses
9. awaken one’s interest in reading and research
10. prepare for any future academic competition
MECHANICS:
1. Five contestants are chosen from each class to compete with in the different grade levels (from Senior Preparatory to Grades I to VI).
2. Each set of contestants in the level subject area are given five questions to answer.
3. Five seconds are given to all contestants to write their answers chosen from the options given, ten to twenty seconds to answer computational equations, problem solving and thought provoking questions.
4. The top three contestants garnering the highest number of points in every quarter are declared first, second and third placers respectively.
5. In case of a tie, a sudden block system is adopted to arrive at a winner. (A maximum of three rounds per subject area is allowed.)
6. At the end of the year, the winners of every quarter will compete in the finals to vie for the top three places.
7. Annual winners are awarded medals, gold for the first place, silver for the second place and bronze for the third place.
8. All annual awards are given during the Recognition Day for Grades I to V and Graduation Day for Sr. Prep. and Grade VI.
9. All annual gold and silver medallists are qualified to join only after a lapse of one year.
TIME FRAME/VENUE:
1. Three preliminaries are held in a year, (once after every quarterly exam until the third quarter only)
2. A grand final contest is held after the third preliminary contest.
3. All preliminaries and the grand final contest are held in the gym.
CONTEST COVERAGE:
Senior Preparatory … English / Math
Grade I to III … English / Math / Science
Grade IV to VI … English / Math / Science / Sibika
