The 2016 Montverde Academy Roger Ross Academic Tournament, formally the MAT and renamed in honor of past MVA Academic Team Advisor and former Upper School Dean Roger Ross, was held inside the Academy’s MacKenzie Upper School Classroom Building on Saturday, January 16th. Mrs. Kristine Walsworth, Upper School English teacher, and the team’s advisor, informed the MVA Communications Office that the 14th annual event “…welcomed 16 teams from 8 different schools to our campus for the day long event, including Chain of Lakes High, Columbia High, DeSoto High, Gainesville Eastside, Ocala Vanguard, and nearby competitors, Dr. Philips and East Ridge High. The 2016 RMAT culminated in a Championship Match in which Vanguard High bested Dr. Phillips High with a score of 165-125. Montverde’s own A team came in 5th - narrowing missing the semi- final round. With the help of many MVA faculty and staff volunteers, it was an enjoyable day for all!”
MVA Academic Team members practice regularly in conditions comparable to how they compete at RMAT – by operating a “buzzer unit” as they listen to questions asked, and score team-points when they “buzz first” and answer the asked question correctly. MVA’s Academic team has competed in numerous Florida academic tournaments throughout the past 14 years. These scholastic events have been hosted by Florida high schools, colleges/universities such as the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Georgia, Stetson University, St. Leo University, Lake-Sumter State College, and Gateway State College. Montverde Academy teams have won the Lake County Championship 7 times, and participated on several occasions in the Commissioner’s Academic Challenge (State of Florida Academic Tournament) held annually at the Contemporary Convention Center in Walt Disney World, the NAQT National Academic Championship in Chicago, Illinois, and the Questions Unlimited National Academic Championship in New Orleans, Louisiana. Most Florida competitions regularly include questions on topics associated with:
- Music
- Sports
- Pop Culture
- Literature
- Math
- Science
- U.S. and World History
- Geography
- U.S and World Politics
- National and International Current Events
- Art
