LGNV-- On the morning of February 7, 2019, eight underclassmen on the Loganville High School JV Academic Bowl team boarded the school bus at 7:30 in the morning to travel to the recently opened Sims Stem School. They were on their way to compete in the State competition, where they answered questions on topics such as current events and academics in a game-like format. They knew all their facts, but what they didn’t know was that they would be coming home with a 4th place title. The success at state was a pleasant surprise for the team. Their expressions displayed absolute pride in what they achieved. When asked about the victory, tenth-grade member Andrew Barge said, “I was definitely surprised. The other teams were really good.” Andrew was also on television last year to compete and represent the school. When asked how that experience benefited him this year, he said, “It’s made me more confident, and I feel like we are a better team, and since everybody saw us, we gained more recognition.” This served as a stepping stone to their well-earned victory. Another member, tenth grader Jisue Park, remarked, “I really didn’t expect us to do so well. I was pretty proud.” Ms. Raby, the sponsor of the JV Academic Bowl, commented, “I am thrilled. It is the highest we have ever placed at the state level.” Their biggest competition at the event was Oconee High School, whom they have both lost to and bested in previous competitions throughout the year. Oconee also won first place at state. Ms. Raby stated, “The competition is fierce.” In anticipation of facing their rivals, the team prepared weekly. Andrew said, “I watched videos from previous competitions, and we practiced every Monday to get ready as a team.” It is evident that the practice paid off. The team is already looking forward to next year’s competitive season, where they hope to come home with a state title. Jisue Park claims, “We will learn from our past mistakes, and probably do better.” The school roots for them as we hope they have a plethora of success next year.