Two weeks ago, the elementary, middle and high schools in the Sunflower County Consolidated School District went head-to-head in the district’s annual Brain Bowls.
On three different evenings, a different school each night was filled with supportive students, staff and proud parents, relatives, and friends of the scholars who participated in the Brain Bowls.
The Brain Bowl is an academic competition between schools within the Sunflower County Consolidated School District that allows students from the same grades that are in different schools to compete against each other on questions related to the subject areas for which they will be tested.
“The purpose of the Brain Bowl is to get students excited and amped up about taking the MAAP state assessments, which are normally administered the week after the Brain Bowl, and to highlight academics in our district,” shared SCCSD Superintendent Dr. Miskia Davis.
The Brain Bowl is the brainchild of Dr. Davis’s, and this is the sixth year of its production.
In a meeting she had with her Student Advisory Council in 2018, one of the concerns that students brought to her attention was that sports seemed to get all the recognition.
They spoke to how the trophies are larger in athletics, and how fans and their peers get to come out and cheer on athletics, but students who are not as interested in athletics, but are academic scholars, get little to no recognition or attention, they said.
“I couldn’t disagree with their sentiment and felt it was my responsibility and obligation to change that perception. I got with my district leadership team and threw out my idea, and like magic, the Brain Bowl was formed,” Dr. Davis reflected.
Dr. Davis’s hope/goal for the Brain Bowls is two-fold.
She hopes that her students realize how important the Brain Bowl is to students, staff and community, not because of all the hoopla and fanfare around it (because it has taken on a life of its own), but because they want to celebrate their students and staff for what goes on in the classroom.
“By no means am I slighting athletics, because I absolutely love those programs as well,” she continued, “But at the end of the day, parents send students to us so that we can educate them. And the Brain Bowls allow parents to see that our students and staff are taking care of business in the classrooms.”
Secondly, Dr. Davis wants the world to see how they come together as a district for their students.
During the Brain Bowls, it can get really tense.
Most of the competitions come down to the last question. But the love and adoration that is poured onto those students for their efforts, whether they win or lose, is a sight to behold.
At the Brain Bowls, the stadiums are packed, and everyone is cheering for every child, and whether they leave with a trophy or a medal or a big check, the teachers and students know that they are appreciated, and people are proud of them for what they are teaching and learning. “Because contrary to popular belief, teaching and learning is taking place in our classrooms, and our Brain Bowls and our test scores are proof of that,” laughed Davis.
According to Dr. Davis, the Brain Bowls are the best; they are a major production.
She would be remiss if she didn’t recognize the individuals that not only do the work on the front end, like making sure tables are set up, technology is working, screens are present, questions are aligned, teams are present, etc., but those individuals also stay two to three hours later than normal to make sure that the Brain Bowls are a success, for three consecutive nights. with no extra compensation.
“The maintenance department, curriculum department, transportation department, child nutrition department, personnel department, federal programs department, technology department, the academic coaches, band directors, subject area teachers, principals....it takes all of these people to make sure each Brain Bowl, which lasts a little over an hour, is the momentous occasion that they have become. So many districts ask, every year, will we expand to include other districts, and my answer is always no. This is our baby! And we want to keep this little slice of heaven all to ourselves...for now,” Dr. Davis said with the biggest smile.
