Pima Butte Mustangs win MUSD Elementary Academic League finals

Define “annex.” If a train has 315 passengers and 30 passengers per car, how many cars are needed? What was the purpose of the Women’s Suffrage Movement?  What is the meaning of the idiom “a change of heart?” What is the smallest unit that makes up ice? What is a synonym for “arctic?”

If you think you are smarter than a fifth grader (or a fourth grader), after hearing some of these gold round questions, you might reconsider how much you know. 

The final MUSD Academic League Competition was held Tuesday afternoon at Butterfield Elementary School. Parents, staff members and friends were in attendance, and over 120 building maps detailing competition locations were handed out to visitors. Three fourth and three fifth grade competitions were held concurrently.

During the past school year the various Academic League coaches spent a great deal of time and effort working with their teams. Following the competitions, those team members received gold medals for their participation.

The competition emphasizes that there are no losers in Academic League because “Every Student is a Winner.”
 
Fourth and fifth grade Pima Butte Mustangs walked away with wins in their gold round competitions, taking overall honors for the 2010 Academic League.

Final team standings:

Gold bracket
Fifth grade:  Pima Butte (24 points) vs. Santa Rosa (22 points)
Fourth grade:  Pima Butte (20 points) vs. Butterfield (18 points)

Silver bracket
Fifth grade:  Saddleback (16 points) vs. Santa Cruz (14 points)
Fourth grade:  Santa Cruz (20 points) vs. Saddleback (13 points)

Bronze bracket
Fifth grade:  Butterfield (23 points) vs. Maricopa Elementary (15 points)
Fourth grade:  Santa Rosa (19 points) vs. Maricopa Elementary (8 points)

The elementary Academic League is an annual event; its goal is “to enrich and challenge students in fun, positive activities.”  Korrin Ledbetter served as the district’s Academic League facilitator this year.

Photos by Joyce Hollis