March 5, 2008

Liz Babiarz, 404-413-1356
University Relations

Georgia State University hosts WorldQuest competition

ATLANTA – Which Nobel Peace Prize winner founded the Grameen Bank? The answer: Mohammad Yunus.  How many Latin American landmarks recently became wonders of the world? The answer: Three.

Twenty-one local high school teams will be tackling questions such as these, testing their knowledge on international affairs, geography and culture at the second annual Metro Atlanta Academic WorldQuest Championship.

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday (March 8) in the Georgia State Student Center Ballroom, 44 Courtland St.

Students from grades nine through 12 will compete in 10 rounds of 10 multiple-choice questions. The team with the highest overall score will win the Metro Atlanta WorldQuest High School Championship and go on to compete against 45 other teams from across the country at the national Academic WorldQuest competition April 4 - 6 in Washington. Academic WorldQuest is a national flagship program of the World Affairs Councils of America.

Saturday’s Metro Atlanta WorldQuest Championship is co-hosted by Georgia State University and the Southern Center for International Studies.  

Corporate and non-profit sponsors include AirTran, Newell Rubbermaid, CARE, Kroger, Atlanta Ballet, Zoo Atlanta, Publix, Georgia Aquarium, the High Museum of Art, Fernbank Museum, Georgia Council for International Visitors and Ali Baba's Mediterranean Grill.

Cheryl White, weather and traffic anchor at Fox 5 Atlanta, will emcee the awards ceremony and Emily Jennette, Georgia Teacher of the Year 2008, will be the guest speaker.

Parking for off-campus visitors and the media is available in the M Deck, at the corner of Gilmer Street and Piedmont Avenue.

For more information, visits www.gsu.edu/~wwwoia/worldquest.htm.

What: 2nd annual Metro Atlanta Academic WorldQuest Championship

When: 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Saturday (March 8)