Quiz Bowl & Robotics Teams Shine!

This past weekend, two of The John Cooper School's talented teams demonstrated their dedication and skill in impressive tournaments. The Quiz Bowl and the Robotics teams showcased their excellence, further exemplifying Cooper’s commitment to fostering critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership.

The Quiz Bowl team traveled to New Waverly to compete in the Texas Challengers tournament this past weekend. Quiz Bowl is an academic competition program where students are given the opportunity to leverage all the information they have accumulated over the course of their education. Topics are extremely diverse, from vintage cartoons all the way to nuclear physics, and anything in between.

After an intense day of rapid-fire questions covering a range of subjects, the team finished in 5th place overall—a remarkable achievement in such a competitive field. One standout performer was Jerry Dai ’26, who earned the second-highest individual score in the tournament, showcasing his exceptional knowledge and quick thinking under pressure.

Shannon Hill, Spanish teacher and Quiz Bowl Faculty Sponsor and Coach, stated: "The Varsity Quiz Bowl team is a very impressive group. While we normally play with four to a team, on this particular day we only had three. They still did very well, because their strengths mesh well to cover a wide range of topics. The game relies on knowledge, of course, but also on speed, confidence, and teamwork. Players join because they love knowledge and competition, but Quiz Bowl also offers them important real life skills. Strong players have to be willing to take chances, make mistakes, keep their cool under stress, listen to each other, and exhibit good sportsmanship, all in the pursuit of excellence."

The Quiz Bowl team continues to build on its reputation for excellence, embodying the mission of Cooper to nurture critical and creative thinkers. Quiz Bowl is an open-door club, meaning new members are welcome and encouraged to join at any time. Meetings are every Tuesday at lunch and on alternate Fridays. Great job, Dragons!

Meanwhile, the Robotics team had an equally successful Saturday at Cypress Ridge High School, where they entered two robots into a 48-team tournament. Team A and Team B excelled through the qualifying rounds, with Team B finishing 4th and Team A securing 10th place. These impressive rankings earned both teams the distinction of being captains of their own alliances for the finals.

The competition continued to heat up as Team B qualified for the quarter-finals, and Team A advanced to the semi-finals. This marks the best result for the Robotics team in the past four years, representing the progress and skill both teams have developed.The students’ teamwork, engineering expertise, and strategic thinking were on full display, making this one of their most successful performances to date.

"I am incredibly proud of how our Robotics students exemplify the spirit of curiosity, teamwork, and perseverance. Watching them push their limits, support one another, and represent our School with integrity is exactly what we hope to nurture in every student at Cooper,” exclaimed Ken Gorman, the Robotics Club Faculty Sponsor.

Looking ahead, the Robotics teams are already preparing for upcoming competitions in January and February. Their commitment to excellence and passion for innovation continue to inspire, and we are excited to see what they achieve in the future.

These outstanding results from both the Quiz Bowl and Robotics teams perfectly reflect the core values of The John Cooper School: intellectual curiosity, self-discipline, and a commitment to excellence. Whether it’s solving complex problems, competing in high-pressure environments, or working together as a team, our students consistently rise to the challenge.

Congratulations to both teams for their hard work and achievements this weekend. The John Cooper School is incredibly proud of you, and we look forward to seeing even greater successes in the future! Keep up the great work, Dragons!