Starting a Middle School Program
Whether you are a middle school teacher, administrator, parent, or someone involved in high school quizbowl, you may have an opportunity to start a middle school program at your school. The precise mechanics of team formation vary from district to district, but keep the following in mind as you work.
- In order to compete against MSHSAA member schools, your middle school/junior high must be registered with MSHSAA as well. Check with your activities director to find out whether the school's 7th and 8th grade teams are members, and whether your school has chosen to make 6th grade students eligible for MSHSAA competition.
- There are also a significant number of middle schools that are not MSHSAA members, and those schools may also compete against one another in quizbowl. However, MSHSAA by-laws will not allow a member to compete against a non-member under most circumstances.
- Starting a program from scratch requires some initial legwork. Finding a faculty sponsor, marketing the program to potential student members and gaining institutional support will likely fall on your shoulders for the first few months. MOQBA members are happy to help you navigate and provide you information to support your case.
- Quizbowl requires few physical supplies. Access to a working buzzer system is extremely helpful, but your first months of existence can be fruitful even if this is not the case. Borrowing one from the high school team or a nearby school is often a useful place to start. Otherwise, you just need a space to meet and some interested kids!
MOQBA members with expertise in middle school programs are happy to provide guidance and support to your endeavor to start a team. Feel free to email us any questions you have about middle school quizbowl.
See our tournament calendar for upcoming middle school events!