WCTE PBS proudly presented the second-annual Middle School Academic Bowl in May 2025, showcasing the brightest young minds from across the Upper Cumberland!

This year, eight teams from six schools faced off in a double elimination competition, testing their knowledge, teamwork, and quick thinking in a fast-paced academic showdown. 

All the teams made a great showing, but in the end, Upperman took home the trophy. Please help us congratulate all participants in this highly anticipated annual event!

📍 Location: Tennessee Tech’s brand-new Ashraf Islam Engineering Building
🎥 Watch the Recording: The entire event can be viewed below!

Competing Schools:

Prescott South Middle School

Joe Shafer Middle School

F.C. Boyd Christian School

Algood Middle School

South Fentress Elementary

Upperman Middle School

This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of Tennessee Tech University.

Join us as we cheer on these exceptional students and celebrate the power of learning and academic achievement in our region!

WCTE PBS ACADEMIC BOWL:  CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNING TEAMS

WCTE's High School Academic Bowl took place on November 6-9, 2024 and aired in Jan. 2025 on WCTE PBS. 

The event was held at Algood City Hall. Dr. Brian O’Connor, Molly Risley, and Mark Hutchins served as moderators for the competition. 

• 1st Place:  Gallatin High School, coached by Brian Hoover
• 2nd Place: Cookeville High School, coached by Sam Matson
• 3rd Place: and winner of Dr. Ed Culp Spirit of Competition Award:  DeKalb County High School, coached by Britney Gulley

Through funding from the First Horizon Foundation, as well as from Tennessee Tech University, WCTE was able to significantly expand the reach of the event this year, increasing the tournament capacity by 5 teams, for a total of 16 teams from 13 different high schools across Tennessee and one from Kentucky. 

WCTE was also able to expand from a single-elimination event to a double-elimination format bringing the total number of games to 31. This allowed teams to have a better chance of succeeding and advancing in the tournament.