Orlando, Fl.- The Commissioner’s Academic Challenge was this past weekend in Orlando, Florida. This challenge is a state academic bowl competition held for the top high school academic team students of each county. In Manatee county there were six students sent to the state competition, four of which are from Saint Stephen’s. From Saint Stephen’s were juniors Hannah Sage, Joe Class, Zack Gromko, and Ethan Leuchter. In addition to the team were the Southeast High students, senior Andrew Klein and junior Parth Patel. The students started practicing in January with their advisor, Christina Pommer, to prepare for states.

This year was the first time in ten years students from Manatee county made it to the finals and they wanted go all the way. The team performed as a cohesive unit and each individual had their strengths and weaknesses. The team thrived on individual talents and specialities, such as Zack Gromko’s strength in the sciences and mathematics and Ethan Leuchter’s competence in history.

Conversely, their Achilles heel in was in foreign languages. However, they powered through their weakness and did very well at states, advancing to the finals.

The students of Manatee got sixth in the final round, achieving a great feat that hasn’t been done in a long time.  They are hoping to return to states and come home with a trophy next year.