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The Panasonic
Academic Challenge is a highly scholastic national high
school competition that, over the years, has grown into one
of the preeminent academic competitions in the nation. In
a Wall Street Journal article (August 3, 2001), the Panasonic
Academic Challenge (PAC) was called "the Super Bowl of
scholastic quizzes." Panasonic has been the exclusive
sponsor for 15 of the 19 years of the Challenge.
The Challenge, held at Disney World in Florida each June,
invites one team of up to six high school students and two
coaches from each state, U.S. Territory and the District of
Colombia, to compete for scholarships, championship rings
and other prizes over the course of three days.
At the competition, teams representing
their state are asked a variety of increasingly difficult
questions in seven key areas: mathematics, science, English,
social studies, fine arts, foreign language, and computer
science.
What began years ago in Florida's
Polk County School System and nurtured by ongoing philanthropic
efforts by major companies such as Panasonic, the PAC has
grown into the premier high school academic tournament in
the United States. The event has involved literally thousands
of our nation's best and brightest students. In addition,
the PAC is a platform where the company can showcase the talent
that is being produced in our country's educational system
specifically in public schools. Panasonic funds scholarships,
totaling $31,500 at each tournament.
In addition, each team receives
a grant from the company to offset expenses for the team to
get to the event that includes airfare, meals and lodging.
"The Panasonic Academic
Challenge has become a national event that acknowledges the
scholastic abilities of our youth and shows them our appreciation
for their dedication to learning," says Peggy Harrod,
National Tournament Director. "These are truly the country's
future leaders."
Winners
of the 2006 Panasonic Academic Challenge
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