|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
What better way to get kids excited about history than a fun competition among friends as they vie for prizes? That was exactly the goal of Mayor Oliver Gilbert’s Miami Gardens 7th Annual Heritage Bowl — the popular quiz tournament celebrating African-American history. Held February 12th at Florida Memorial University’s Lou Rawls Center for the Performing Arts, the tournament was bigger and better than ever this year, with over 200 middle and high school students competing from across Miami-Dade county.
The students were tested on their knowledge of African-American history, with Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver G. Gilbert III serving as quiz master. They were also quizzed about the achievements of famous African-Americans and their contributions to the U.S. Students went on to tackle other subjects, including science, business, arts, entertainment, law and government.
From a competitive field, Westland Hialeah Senior High School and Henry H. Filer Middle School emerged the winners, claiming the title of Heritage Bowl Champions 2020. Only 12 years old, Westland Hialeah High believes in “creating independent learners and responsible citizens for an increasingly competitive, diverse, and global community.” The school, made up of about 2,000 students from grades 9 to 12, holds a Magnet School of Distinction Merit Award. Also located in Hialeah, the Henry H. Filer Middle School has been serving the community for nearly 50 years with a mission to enrich the community through a multicultural educational experience. This year marked their second win in a row in the tournament.
Both schools received the Carter G. Woodson Team Award, named after the famous African-American writer and historian known as the ‘Father of Black History.’ Participating students also received individual prizes.
The Miami Gardens Heritage Bowl was founded in 2014 by Mayor Gilbert to nurture local students’ appreciation and understanding of African-American culture.
