Think Day: HMS Think Team 2019

      HMS’s brightest trivia wizards. 2 months of preparation. An academic competition swarming with Atlantic County’s best. HMS has been going to Mainland Regional High School to participate in Think Day for many years. This year was a special one, though. Hammonton Middle School rounded out the top three best teams for the first time in more than five years. The team consisted of eighth graders Tiffany Paretti, Robby Galletta, Sydney Reed, Abby Baines, Cole Herrmann, Hayden Seiberlich, Michael Parker, and Jolina Balinksy. Some seventh graders, Luke Griscom, Abby Goblirsh, Erika Shulz, and Anthony Santora added to the group. One sixth grader, Justin Vivadelli, rounded out the team of 13.

      Here’s how it works: the team is broken down into two smaller groups-one for Round A and one for B. In the first round, a correct answer earns a team five points with no deduction for a pass or wrong answer. In the second round, a can get ten points for answering right but will lose five for a wrong answer. The last round is put together during the break for lunch. Team captains Syd Reed and Tiffany Paretti talked with Mrs. Grasso to put together the all star team of players who were answering the most questions. Round C closes out the competition with ten for a correct answer and a loss of five for a pass or incorrect response. However, if only one team answers right, they earn twenty points which is how Hammonton took three twenty point swings.

      Hammonton started out Round A pretty well, staying in the game. By Round B, other teams were pulling ahead. In the final round, Round 3, Hammonton had three questions where they were the only one who got the correct answer. This gave them 3, 20-point swings! These swings ultimately ended up launching Hammonton into the top three, as well. Competition Day was a roller coaster ride, from streaks of getting answers correct to dry spells. Overall, Hammonton went home with a win, which is all that matters. Congrats to everyone on Think Team for bringing home the bronze!