Chatham High School’s Academic Teams found tremendous success ​at the three-day National Academic Tournament.
The Chatham A Team came in first place overall, winning a paid trip to Orlando, Fla., for the Final Four competition against the other regional winners. The Chatham B Team came in fourth overall at the event. After competing against 32 other schools from across the country, Chatham sent the three teams to the National Academic Team tournament, held in Washington D.C. June 1 through June 3.
Two of Chatham’s teams made it all the way to the semi-finals of the playoff round before Chatham’s A Team took top honors, winning the championship. In order to qualify for nationals, all teams must have earned first -place in a registered tournament in their state.
Mallory Lynn and Tom Cummins are the CHS Academic Team advisors.
“They were simply amazing, not only for winning the championship, but for the way they represented the school,’’ Tom Cummins said. “They exhibited incredible sportsmanship and teamwork, never arguing amongst themselves, or with the judges, and always supporting one another. Winning aside, I think, more than anything else, they had a lot of fun. I know I did.”
The Championship Team members were Ameya Phadnis, Alex Cotingnola, Sophie Andrews, and Armen Panossian. Other team members were Nareg Panossian, Stephan Ratner, Eric Tonno, Oscar and Zoe Paris, Rhea Sinha, Sara Paul, Deniz Gedik and James Hadley.