(Mike) Right, my name is Mike Van Quickenborne. I'm the only full time philosophy instructor at Everett Community College and then I'm the Hi-Q quizmaster.
(Cirrus) My name is Cirrus Ervin and I'm the outreach specialist at Everett Community College. So in addition to running the Hi-Q program I do college outreach.
There are currently twenty schools involved with Hi-Q. There is about 160 students and then the advisors and the administrators that participate in the program, so there
is about 200 direct participants. And there is about, we've approximated about 20,000 people that actually see a program in any given year.
(Mike) I think one of the great things about Hi-Q is that it really holds up academics as something that our students should try and excel at and should aspire to do well in
because I think this academic competition should be really seen as something that is worthwhile and the whole school can take pride in.
(Cirrus) The great thing about Hi-Q is that there is actually very few programs that support higher learning, or learning beyond the typical high-school level and
so this is a program that really pushes students beyond just studying for high school. So it's not just a program for <indicating with fingers> "smart kids" it's actually
a program for kids that want to work really hard. And so what we are cultivating is good study skills, good study habits, is really focusing on the text in a novel or in a
chemistry textbook and really understanding that text.
(Mike) Hi-Q I think definitely trains or gives students experience in studying, preparing themselves, preparing to give answers in front of a large audience, 500
students sometimes. Also Hi-Q has a lot of time pressure involved with their answers and also working in teams. I think all of those attributes of the competition translate
well into college settings and then beyond that.
(Cirrus) Right now I think Hi-Q's biggest challenge is (and has always been) funding. And every year funding is always a question, you know "Where are we going to
find the funding? Do we have enough to continue for the next season and make sure that the program runs smoothly and that we have enough money for equipment and supplies?
(Mike) Ya, I think sponsoring Hi-Q is a unique opportunity because it's the really only academic competition in this are where you draw in a large audience for the competitions.
so you get a gym full of 500 students, teachers, administrators, media people and they all see the Hi-Q competition and as quiz master, Cirrus as Hi-Q corrdinator,
we definitely make sure the audience knows that you know, Fred Meyer for example, is sponsoring today's competition and season. And so they hear that message. And that's again
a different setting than an athletic one and so you are appealing to maybe a different demographic in terms of people who are interested in academics more then or different from
an athletic competition and I think it sets that sponsor apart.
(Cirrus) And so the various sponsor benefits include being on television, being on the radio, being on the website, you know all kinds of different acknowledgements.
We also acknowledge our sponsors in the audience fliers and can give out coupons and things to the students.
(Mike) Part of the Hi-Q promotion, that would be North Sound Radio 1380 am, we've been broadcast on there since I've been involved with the program,
and I have a lot of students say, "Oh, I heard you on the radio". You know so they're definitely listening and I think a lot of people really enjoy hearing these students
try and answer these questions and so that's another opportunity for sponsors to get some exposure, which I think is wonderful.
(Cirrus) So if you are interested in finding more about the Hi-Q program just go to the website. It's www.everettcc.edu/hiq. So if you are
interested in supporting the program you can call and let us know that you want to pledge your support
(Mike) If anybody can make a match, it is a great experience. You can see the spark in the students eyes and the size of the audience and the impact it's having on
the high school campus, so I think that's important too.
(Text Message) Everett Community College
Please become a sponsor, call us at 425-388-9100 or visit the website www.everettcc.edu/hiq
Hi-Q
Quiz Competition
Student Email
