Gifted sixth-grade students from seven Belmont County middle schools took part in an Academic Field Day event on October 23 at The ECO Center.
The Belmont County Gifted Advisory Council and The East Central Ohio Educational Service Center (ECOESC) partner to host the event each year. The daylong program, which ran from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., was designed to challenge and enrich students’ minds through a variety of hands-on activities and games.
Approximately 60 students from the public school districts located in Belmont County participate each year. Students this year came from Barnesville, Bellaire, Bridgeport, Martins Ferry, Shadyside, St. Clairsville, and Union Local.
Students spent the day working on a series of challenges. Fourteen teams rotated between seven stations, with two teams competing against each other at each station. The stations focused on teamwork and on logical, creative, and critical thinking skills. Each station was led by a gifted intervention specialist from one of the participating districts. From Brain Strain, construction activities, coding, cup stack challenges, and silent sculpting, students spent the day putting their teamwork and thinking skills to the test.
Each year’s Academic Field Day is developed around a theme with the team names reflecting that theme. In honor of America’s 250th birthday, this year’s theme was America 250. Team names included Patriot Prodigies, Revolutionary Renegades, Federalist Framers, Sovereign Scholars, Colonial Commanders, Declaration Dominators, Midnight Riders, Pioneer Pathfinders, Star-Spangled Sages, Monumental Minds, Amber Waves of Brains, Founding Force, Ratification Rebels, and Preamble Powerhouses.
Each station awarded a first-place star to the winning team after each session, so teams had a chance to win at every station. Congrats to this year’s winners!