Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Alexander Stawinski Dewitt junior Matt Robinson, left, and Caro sophomore Zach Raymer discuss a question Friday during The Honors Program Claude S. Larzelere Trivia Challenge Competition in the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium. [Click to enlarge]

Getting eliminated in the first round of a trivia competition only fueled a sweeter victory when four honors students claimed the title one year later.

In 2007, members of the team "The Inquisition" didn't make it past the first round. This year, they squeaked by with a one-point victory, in the fifth annual Claude S. Larzelere Trivia Challenge Competition.

"We watched a lot of 'Jeopardy!' for about a month every night," said Eric Wrzesinski, Dewitt junior and member of "The Inquisition." "We feel vindicated from last year."

Wrzesinski, along with his teammates Dewitt junior Matt Robinson, Grand Rapids sophomore Greg Ghering and Caro sophomore Zach Raymer, received a $500 gift certificate to the CMU Bookstore.

Wrzesinski said he plans to spend the money on clothing at the bookstore and Christmas gifts for his family.

"We can finally afford a CMU sweatshirt," he said.

More than 100 people filled the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium to watch 14 teams of honors students put their trivia knowledge to the test.

"It's an opportunity for honors students that have a wealth of knowledge to test their (knowledge) against the best of the best," said James Hill, Honors Program director and master of ceremonies.

The competition was divided into three rounds with three teams competing at a time to answer 20 questions covering a broad range of subjects, including history, sports and popculture.

One point was awarded for each correct answer and teams' accumulated points could be wagered on the final question of each set. The winner of the set moved on to the next round.

"It takes us a year to come up with all the questions," said Judy Idema, Honors Program associate director. "We draw the questions from a lot of different areas and then we pick the best ones from there."

Hill, Idema and Ken Rumsey, Honors Program academic adviser, were responsible for formulating questions such as how long can cockroaches live without their head, what a speleologist studies is and what is the oldest capital city in America.


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