AGazine, February 2016

News and Notes

Judges Tests

Anyone interested in becoming a certified judge in Equations, On-Sets, or LinguiSHTIK should contact their league coordinator, who can order and administer the tests.

The tests must be returned by March 15 in order for judges to be certified for Nationals. Anyone who was certified in a game prior to 2011 must re-certify. Information for ordering tests has been sent to league/district coordinators.

Nationals Information

Steve Wright recently sent a letter to the heads of leagues on behalf of the AGLOA Board of Directors and Tournament Council.

• Accounts have been set up on the AGLOA website so that each league or district can enter registration information online. Any individual who will coordinate the league or district’s Nationals trip and has not been sent an email confirming that an account was set up should contact AGLOA immediately.
• AGLOA has negotiated various discounts with the Atlanta Visitors Bureau. League/district heads were sent links to various websites where discount cards can be printed.
• All participants will stay at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in downtown Atlanta within walking distance of the Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, the College Football Hall of Fame, and Centennial Olympic Park.

Upcoming Academic Games Events

February

March

If you do not see your league’s events above, please send your calendar.

Down Memory Lane

In 1986, South Lyon High School in Michigan graduated six co-valedictorians with 4.0 GPA’s. All six played Academic Games for five consecutive years. In 1982, Academic Games Coach Pam Miller Placek had to decide which five of thse six 8th grades would be on the same team. The five she chose remained together and comprised the “South Lyon Empty Sets” Team in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986.

Pam remembers: It is amazing to realize the influence a small box of colorful cubes can have on the lives of both students and teachers.
In 1981, a neighboring teacher brought her 7th grade math class into my 8th grade math class to see a Friday Equations tournament. The visitors joined the fun and 8th graders taught them the game. Afterwards, I invited anyone interested to come to our after school practice.
A group of six 7th grade boys, who had visited my class, fell in love with the game and would come into my office during their lunch hour to play the game. Soon they were asking their teachers’ permission to come and practice the game after their assignments were completed.
The following year, South Lyon Middle School came to the national tournament with two teams. I did not know which team to rank “number one” as they were so equally matched. That year the Empty Sets team won the Sweepstakes and remained a team and great friends throughout their high school years. They are all still close friends today.
The five players are Ray Klann, Rob Curtis, Todd Yocum, Chris Kelly, and Jeff Hoorn.
Because they all played varsity sports through school (football, basketball and baseball) our practice time was very flexible. We spent many weekends at the school researching and creating our resource book for World Card.
Yes, the introduction to a colorful cube game made a difference in the lives of these students, this teacher, and so many others.

The same five guys for five consecutive years won five consecutive National Sweepstakes Championships! A feat Academic Games may never see again!
There are several teams in Academic Games history with more individual championships. There are some with more total titles. There are none with five Sweepstakes Championships with the same five players.
Unequaled greatness from a little town in Michigan.

The Empty Sets returned to Nationals in Oglebay, WV, in 2012 along with Coach Pam Placek.

Todd Yocum, Ray Klann, Chris Kelly, Robert Curtis, Jeff Hoorn, and Pam Miller Placek in 1986 and 2012.