Quizzes in Secondary School

alabandical

I'm organising some quizzes in school this year but I would really like to enter some students in quizzes outside the school. Can't find much information out there. Has anyone ever been involved in this area?

Enright

Look up Thomas Crosbie Holdings TCH (Irish Examiner) Quiz
If in a vec, they often have a VEC quiz between school

Radio na Gaeltachta used to do a quiz, Sean Ban Breathnach

Cima holds an annual regional business quiz

byhookorbycrook

The Irish Examiner quiz is pretty serious!

rainbowtrout

Is the TCH Quiz running anymore? I usually entered a team every year, but I got no notification last year and couldn't find any information about it online either.

The ISTA usually run regional science quizzes for 5th and 6th years. It's usually on around October/November. Winners and runners up get to go to the national quiz in Dublin. Think it's held in UCD.

IASTA (Ag Science teachers association) ran a national quiz in Athlone for Ag Science students. Couldn't go last year as it was during the mocks.

In my area the Macra na Feirme association in the county (Roscommon) hold a quiz for secondary schools around the county. Maybe other branches do similar.

MacGyver007

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Is the TCH Quiz running anymore? I usually entered a team every year, but I got no notification last year and couldn't find any information about it online either.

The TCH quiz was not held last year. It was a real shame as that was a fantastic and very popular competition. I do not know what its status is for the coming year. The Raidió na Gaeltachta quiz was discontinued in 2006.

In Galway every October the Credit Union hold a secondary schools' quiz with junior and senior categories which is open to every school in the county. Feachtas used to run a national quiz each year from November to March. Our local branch of Conradh na Gaeilge hold a schools' quiz during Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Sadly there currently appears to be no major national secondary schools' quiz competition along the lines of the TCH quiz, RnaG Tráth na gCeist or "Blackboard Jungle". From my experience students love quizzes and most of them would love to have the opportunity to represent their school at them.

TheDriver

imta run quizzes for 1sr,3rd and 6th yr students in maths. Lantz have an applied maths quiz.

kt18

Just putting this up to get a feeling for the following-Do you think there would be much interest in organizing an inter schools quiz competition? This would be for secondary schools-The kids in my school love quizzes and would love to encourage it but there is very little available around....

spurious

kt18 wrote: »

Just putting this up to get a feeling for the following-Do you think there would be much interest in organizing an inter schools quiz competition? This would be for secondary schools-The kids in my school love quizzes and would love to encourage it but there is very little available around....

I think there might be interest, yes. The fairest way to run them is in the table quiz format. I have been involved with inter-school quizzes before and it's a nightmare when one side gets what is seen as 'an easier question'. The table quiz format works well I think and is easy enough manipulate so that no-one goes home feeling stupid and yet a clear winner emerges.

MacGyver007

kt18 wrote: »

Just putting this up to get a feeling for the following-Do you think there would be much interest in organizing an inter schools quiz competition? This would be for secondary schools-The kids in my school love quizzes and would love to encourage it but there is very little available around....

Without a shadow of a doubt! Like yourself, in our school there is huge interest in quizzes but sadly very few competitions for the students to compete in. Feachtas have revived their 'Tráth na gCeist Boird' for secondary schools this year (I got a letter from them a couple of days ago) and my understanding is that there is a possibility that the U-13 and U-16 Pioneer Total Abstinence Association quizzes could return after a 3-year absence next spring.

MacGyver007

spurious wrote: »

I think there might be interest, yes. The fairest way to run them is in the table quiz format. I have been involved with inter-school quizzes before and it's a nightmare when one side gets what is seen as 'an easier question'. The table quiz format works well I think and is easy enough manipulate so that no-one goes home feeling stupid and yet a clear winner emerges.

One thing I simply cannot understand is why the Credit Union do not extend their national schools' quiz to secondary schools. Having asked about it, I was told that there is no interest (no pun intended) in it among schools, but that does not make sense to me.

kt18

In response to the above, got in contact with Feachtas-very helpful so getting on that. All the suggestions were so useful. Whole-heartedly agree about the Credit Unions not extending to secondary schools. It does not make any sense!

MacGyver007

kt18 wrote: »

In response to the above, got in contact with Feachtas-very helpful so getting on that. All the suggestions were so useful. Whole-heartedly agree about the Credit Unions not extending to secondary schools. It does not make any sense!

I think I will make contact with the Irish League of Credit Unions and make a few enquiries, as I have managed to get a name. It is probably too late for this year, but if enough secondary schools got in touch from around the country, surely they would have to at least consider the idea.

killbillvol2

MacGyver007 wrote: »

Without a shadow of a doubt! Like yourself, in our school there is huge interest in quizzes but sadly very few competitions for the students to compete in. Feachtas have revived their 'Tráth na gCeist Boird' for secondary schools this year (I got a letter from them a couple of days ago) and my understanding is that there is a possibility that the U-13 and U-16 Pioneer Total Abstinence Association quizzes could return after a 3-year absence next spring.

I have great memories of taking part in those when I was in school in the 80s although the age groups were older. Travelling to parish halls in the arse end of nowhere on a dark night to take on a team who'd been kept back in school into their 20s just to win this

MacGyver007

killbillvol2 wrote: »

I have great memories of taking part in those when I was in school in the 80s although the age groups were older.

I should mention that there is also an U-27 (formerly Young Pioneer) competition. The rules were changed a few years ago so that up to 2 members of the team can be under 16; this competition would be suitable for senior students or for a TCH-style 2 juniors and 2 seniors.

kt18

Is there a link for the young pioneer competition? Is it worth kids entering when you could be up against people so much older?

MacGyver007

kt18 wrote: »

Is there a link for the young pioneer competition?

Their website is www.pioneerassociation.ie, but there is no information to be gleaned from there about the quizzes at the present time.

kt18 wrote: »

Is it worth kids entering when you could be up against people so much older?

It is if under 18s are allowed to enter the 2013 contest; with effect from 2011, under 18s have been excluded from all PTAA quizzes.

As you might expect, very few teams compete at U-27 level; with a couple of exceptions, it is effectively a competition entered by senior second-level students. With the ban on young people entering, there were even fewer teams in 2011 and 2012 (for instance the 2011 All-Ireland U-27 final was contested by just 2 teams, whereas in the 2010 decider there were 12).

The only prizes are plaques for the winners and runners-up at local, provincial and national levels, so those who enter do so just for the enjoyment of it. With the right sponsor on board and with a proper advertising and marketing campaign, the quizzes (certainly at underage level) could be much bigger. Sadly, the will does not appear to be there to do so.

If you are interested in entering teams in the competition, you first port of call would be your local PTAA centre. There is one in most parishes; some very active, some not at all. No doubt your local parish office should be able to point you in the direction of the relevant person.

maynooth_rules

Really cant understand why RTE wont bring back Blackboard Jungle. Would be great and a lot of kids would love it

MacGyver007

Indeed. Are secondary schools' (general knowledge) quizzes the only extra curricular activity that do not have a national competition? It is too bad that this has happened.

Miss Lockhart

Good point maynooth rules - and I would have thought it was a fairly cheap format for a tv show.

rainbowtrout

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

Good point maynooth rules - and I would have thought it was a fairly cheap format for a tv show.

That's what I would have thought. No shortage of contestants, no fees to pay to guests. A ready made audience in the form of supporters of the teams. Very cheap to produce I would imagine.

MacGyver007

I have just found out in recent days that the PTAA quizzes for under 18s are being revived this year through to All-Ireland level.

MacGyver007

MacGyver007 wrote: »

I have just found out in recent days that the PTAA quizzes for under 18s are being revived this year through to All-Ireland level.

I have learned that the PTAA have done a U-turn and barred their young members again this year. :mad:
I also contacted the Irish League of Credit Unions via email several times asking why there is no second level quiz. Disappointingly I have yet to receive a response.

MacGyver007

Apologies for bumping the thread but I have some news on this topic:

1. The Pioneers have revived their quiz competitions for u-18s this year. There are 2 categories: u-13 and 13-18. The All-Ireland finals are taking place at the end of this month.

2. Feachtas have resumed running their national Tráth na gCeist, and have been doing so for the last couple of years. The final of their contest took place in Dublin in March.

3. I finally received a reply from the Irish League of Credit Unions. They told me that "there are currently no plans at national level to run a Secondary Schools Quiz. Running a national competition of this nature would require very significant financial resources and would depend on the support of our member credit unions across the island. As the ILCU is not a ‘head office’, we are not in a position to mandate credit union involvement in any competition. It would be up to each credit union to decide if they wish to take part. Although there are a number of credit unions which run Secondary School Quizzes, these would be relatively small in number and there has not been any call to date to expand such competitions beyond local level."

4. I also contacted the Irish Examiner about the possibility of reviving the All-Ireland Schools' Quiz. They said that they "are always striving to achieve engagement with the next generation and will take your comments to our next marketing planning meeting to discuss further."

I am just one voice; the more people that get in touch asking about these competitions, the better. No organisation could ignore dozens of emails asking the same thing. I am certain that the demand is clearly there. I have the relevant email addresses. If you want them to make contact about the same thing, please PM me.

stanley1980

Hi- just wondering if any secondary school quizzes have been established/revived since the last post here? I'd love to get kids from my school involved.

NufcNavan

Sorry to bump an old thread. Would be interested to know if there are any upcoming table quizzes for a secondary school team to enter, particularly for 1st/2nd years.

gaiscioch

According to the HTAI website here, there's a fairly big history table quiz in Gonzaga College in Ranelagh next Monday evening. It's for 4th, 5th and 6th years only, though.

Postgrad10

NufcNavan wrote: »

Sorry to bump an old thread. Would be interested to know if there are any upcoming table quizzes for a secondary school team to enter, particularly for 1st/2nd years.

If you are part of an ETB , you could try and organise a league yourself, or if you are DES any schools in your area. You could ask your local education centre to send out an email to seek interest. I know if I was currently teaching, I'd be dying to get a quiz team going.

rainbowtrout

Postgrad10 wrote: »

If you are part of an ETB , you could try and organise a league yourself, or if you are DES any schools in your area. You could ask your local education centre to send out an email to seek interest. I know if I was currently teaching, I'd be dying to get a quiz team going.

I tried that last year for my ETB, not a league, just a once off event that each school in the ETB could send a few teams to. Could have become an annual event. They shot it down, had zero interest in it and wouldn't support it. We weren't looking for anything to run it, I could have organised all of that myself inhouse, but it would be nice if even a few small trophies/medals were provided for the winning school.

Postgrad10

It must depend on your ETB so.

MacGyver007

Feachtas are currently running regional heats for their annual competition (general knowledge with questions as Gaeilge), culminating in a national final in Dublin some time in March. There are decent prizes for the winners. For further details go to www.feachtas.ie. As far as I am aware, this is the only national general knowledge secondary schools' quiz running. I am still of the firm belief that, organised well and with good prizes, the demand is there for a major national contest like the one that the Irish Examiner used to run in Munster in the 1990s and nationally from 2003 to 2010.