SUCCESSFUL SUB-REGION — Following a successful sub-region competition, the NRHEG Junior High Knowledge Bowl team stopped at the Mankato Mall for a late lunch. Pictured from left: Jordan Mueller, Colton Hagen, Koleton Koziolek, Eli Lutgens, Haylie Moser and Melissa Malakowsky. No, they didn't get to ride the carousel. (Submitted photo)

Junior High Knowledge Bowl was offered as an extracurricular activity for NRHEG students in grades 7-9 this fall.

The program, which included 49 teams from 22 schools, is put on by the South Central Service Cooperative of Mankato.

Ten NRHEG students, under the direction of Mary Sack, gave it a try. They practiced weekly, trying to work around driver’s training, FFA and sports. The six-person competition team consists of 7th-grader Koleton Koziolek, 8th-grader Eli Lutgens and 9th-graders Colton Hagen, Melissa Malakowsky, Haylie Moser and Jordan Mueller.

The first meet involved leaving school at 6 a.m. to get to Fairfax by 8:15.

“Our showing was good considering it was their first experience,” said Sack. “We finished in 21st place with 29 teams.”

In subsequent meets the NRHEG team improved: 18th place in Nicollet, 7th place in North Mankato and 8th at the final regular season meet.

On December 16th the team competed in the sub-region event which was at MSU.

“We did well enough to advance to regions which, will be held in Mankato on Friday, January 6th,” said Sack. “This group of young people has been great to work with. I hope their enthusiasm will continue as they will be wonderful members of the senior high teams in the future.”