PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Five students from Presque Isle High School got to watch themselves on the small screen when the second season of Maine Public Television’s “High School Quiz Show Maine” premiered at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8.
In December, two PIHS juniors — Owen McQuarrie and Rebecca Collins — and three seniors — Austin Moreau, Dustin Alward, and alternate Madelyn Wing — traveled to the Maine Public television studio in Lewiston with their science teacher, Dr. Carson Dobrin, to compete against last year’s champions, Marshwood High School, in the regional tournament that awards the winning team $1,000 for their school’s Project Graduation.
Presque Isle High School students pose with their science teacher Dr. Carson Dobrin (far left) in Lewiston before filming their episode of Maine Public’s “High School Quiz Show” in December 2017. Pictured from left to right are Dobrin, Madelyn Wing, Rebecca Collins, Owen McQuarrie, Dustin Alward and Austin Moreau. (Courtesy of Carson Dobrin)
The students completed a take-home test last October to qualify for round one of the tournament. Collins said she was anxious to take the test again then to see if she and her fellow students would make it to the first round. A group of PIHS students had attempted to qualify last year but didn’t make the final taping.
This year, however, Presque Isle was among 16 high schools in Maine to make the cut, and the only one north of Bangor to participate in the single-elimination bracket competition. The statewide winner earns the chance to participate in a regional tournament, facing quiz show champions from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island later in the spring.
While filming their episode, Collins said she enjoyed the chance to test her knowledge in subjects such as geography, science, math, literature and history.
“The geography questions were the hardest for me because that subject is not my strong suit, but I did better at the literature questions,” Collins said.
“High School Quiz Show” has a structure similar to the popular TV game show “Jeopardy.” Students competed as a team, but answered questions individually by pressing a buzzer. Each contestant gained points for correct answers.
Thursday’s episode of “High School Quiz Show” also re-aired on Sunday, Feb. 11, on Maine Public television. But for anyone who missed either showing, the episode also will be available for streaming on http://mainepublic.org/ and for viewing on Maine Public’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MPBN.
Collins noted that she and her classmates also learned much about how a TV game show is filmed.
“I didn’t know how long it takes to film a TV show before we did our episode,” Collins said. “If the host messed up their lines, we had to do another take. The 30-minute episode probably took two hours to film.”
Even though her students ultimately lost to Marshwood High School, Dobrin was glad that her students shared the experience of being quiz show contestants and broadened their education outside the classroom.
“Being on the show built upon what these students are learning in their classes and gave them a unique opportunity to do something that a lot of students haven’t done,” Dobrin said. “I think one of our goals as educators is to help students have those types of experiences.”
Collins also said that the quiz show was a great experience for her and her classmates regardless of the outcome.
“I enjoyed competing and trying to win, but even though we didn’t win I’m glad we got to go and have this amazing experience,” Collins said.
