MVMMS Student Wins Boston Regional History Bee

MVMMS Student Brendan Reynolds Wins Boston Regional History Bee and will compete along with two other Melrose students in the National Championship held in Atlanta, Georgia.

Seventh Grade Melrose Veterans Memorial student Brendan Reynolds was victorious at the Boston Regional History Bee Competition on April 16th.  The event, sponsored by the History Channel and hosted by the Pioneer Charter School of Science, comprised more than forty-seven competitors from ­­­­both public and private schools from across Massachusetts.  Four Melrose seventh graders qualified and competed: Brendan, sisters Christy and Alba Ilia, and Simon Stringer.  The four were the top scorers in a school-wide intramural History Bee held on December 13th.  The four then completed an online regional qualifying exam, and all scored well enough to qualify for the competition.  The Melrose students did very well at the regionals, with both Brendan and Simon making the final round of 10.  But Brendan proved to be unstoppable, winning entry into the finals in June.    

The regional contest consisted of three rounds during which ten students competed individually in a quiz bowl-style competition.  The ten students, each with his or her own buzzer, were read questions and could buzz in at any point.  As the proctor read the question, more and more information about the answer was revealed to the participants.  Brendan provided an example: “This man conquered the Rubicon in 51 BCE.  He famously crossed the Rubicon to become dictator.   He was assassinated in 44 BCE.  Who is this man?”  The answer: Julius Caesar. 

Brendan stated that he had no prior experience using the buzzer or competing in that format.  Instead he relied on his immense knowledge of history.  “I read a lot of books to prepare,” he said.  He shared his favorite historical works and time periods- he particularly enjoys Horrible Histories, a series of animated books and video clips recommended by his 6th social studies teacher, Gerard Tannetta.   The series covers everything from the Ancient Greeks to World Wars I and II.  Brendan is fascinated by the Ottoman Empire, stating that the leaders at that time were “Military geniuses, especially early in their reign.”  He was struck by Roger Crowley’s Empires of the Sea, which, according to Amazon, is “a thrilling account of this brutal decades-long battle between Christendom and Islam for the soul of Europe.” 

Brendan gave credit to his father, Jack, who provided him with many books on U.S. History, including a textbook which Brendan has “skimmed through.”  Brendan’s 7th grade history teacher, Amanda Prouty, also helped Brendan prepare for competition by going through the study guides with him after school.  She says that he “read all the books I lent him”, mentioning that he also had read a book about Vladimir Lenin.  Ms. Prouty notes that Brendan “is fascinated with history.  He wants to read the BBC History Magazine.  He has asked for a subscription for Christmas and got it.”

When he is not reading, Brendan can be found playing Risk and Age of Empires with friends.  He enjoys pizza, the cello, and refereeing under-eight soccer games.      

The National History Bee Championship will be held on June 1, 2013 in downtown Atlanta, GA.  Two of the other competitors from Melrose, Simon Stringer and Alba Ilia, scored so well that they also qualified to compete in the finals.  Both also plan to make the trip to represent MVMMS.  When asked how he would prepare for the finals in Atlanta, Brendan said “STUDY!” and “I will read a lot!”  He and his dad are planning to take in a few sites during their visit, including the Jimmy Carter Library and the Martin Luther King Jr. Center.  Brendan noted that his favorite topic in the 7th grade history curriculum is Ancient Rome.  He is, “interested in the expansionism of Rome - how they took over Italy and never gave up.  At Cannae most of their army was destroyed, but they fought on.”  Fight on, Brendan, fight on.  Melrose will be rooting for you, Simon, and Alba.     

For more information about the History Bee, visit www.historybee.com. 

by Bryan Corrigan, Social Studies Department Chair, Melrose Public Schools, bcorrigan@melrose.mec.edu