georgia science bowl!

This was definitely worth rising early on a Saturday morning!
There were eight high school teams that converged upon Armstrong this morning the Finals of the State Science Bowl. The regional preliminaries were last month, on the 31st. I was there for that session, too.
For both events, I was a reader. That means I had the responsibility of clearly enunciating the words in the questions. I also had the responsibility of making sure to not inadvertently give away the answer for the multiple choice questions. I take that responsibility seriously, blocking the answer from my view as I read and trying to maintain the same cadence when reading each response.
I've had plenty of practice. Ever since 2011, I've been a volunteer for Donna Mullenax, the woman who spends an enormous amount of time organizing the annual events. Everyone who works the Science Bowl events is a volunteer and, if it weren't for Donna's cheerful disposition and bounty of coffee and doughnuts and pizza, I don't think many of us would be there.
2011 marked the five-year anniversary of the regional and state competitions being held at Armstrong.
This year marked my five-year anniversary with the mission and my fourth year as a reader.

Here's a couple of photos from February 2012, my first year as a reader.
That's me, in the pink, at the far right. You can see that I'm holding the book with one hand and blocking the answer from my view with the other.
That's the bfe, serving as rules judge, two people down from me.

Here we are, just before starting the second half of the final round
of the state competition.
Notice where the bfe is now!
I thought it very nice to have it documented that he shifted positions
to be next to me.
(smile)

These were taken by the university's official photographer, Kat Arntzen. She and I had been on each others' radar ever since earlier that month. (I had donated via the "Take Your Seat" program for two brass nameplates, one for me and one for Mama, on seats C113 and C112, respectively, in Jenkins Hall. That is the home of the Armstrong Masquers. I had spent many happy times in that theatre, as part of the troupe, while I was pursuing my bachelor's degree in the mind-1980's.)
The competition ended just a few minutes ago, with Westminster reigning victorious! That means they get an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, for the National Science Bowl. Go, team Georgia!!!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the movies! Kevin Costner has a new sports film out, so I'm off to take that in!
Later, y'all!