Nearly 100 secondary school teams from 13 countries gathered in Singapore last weekend for the 2009 World Finals of the World Scholar's Cup. Teams faced off in four events -- including oral exams and public debates -- centered on the tournament's 2009 theme, the Fall of Empires. Singapore's Raffles Girls' School swept both the junior and senior divisions, but teams from other countries vowed to return strong in 2010.

LOS ANGELES, June 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 100 high school and middle school teams from 13 countries gathered in Singapore last weekend to compete at the 2009 World Finals of the World Scholar's Cup.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090622/DC36520 )

"The teams began and ended the weekend as fierce rivals," said Daniel Berdichevsky, the program director. "But along the way I watched many of them discover exactly how much they had in common. They've been friending one another on Facebook ever since."

Events at the tournament included essays, team debates, written exams, and a grueling Scholar's Bowl in which students worked together to answer questions in front of an audience. All events centered on this year's curriculum theme: the Fall of Empires. Teams studied the science of sustainable development, the economics of spectacular collapse, and the history, art, film, and literature of empires in decline. They also took part in a community-building scavenger hunt and performed in a debate showcase for the general public.

"My students thoroughly enjoyed the international nature of the World Scholar's Cup," said Dr. Sakhar Nair, coach of the winning teams from Raffles Girls' School in Singapore. "The organizers have done a brilliant job in bringing together scholars from everywhere for a truly unique learning experience."

Eight of the top ten spots in the senior division and seven of the top ten spots in the junior division went to teams from Singapore. The individual overall winner was Raffles Girls' School student Zhang Mengshi, with a record 8,779 out of a possible 10,000 points.

"The Scholar's Cup has really evolved into a world-class competition," said Valicia Saucedo, coach of the Daewon Foreign Language High School team from South Korea, which placed fifth in its division. "It's not just about competing, it's an opportunity for students to grow and get to know a little more about the rest of the world."

After winning the senior division at last year's World Finals in South Korea, teams from the United States failed to crack the top twenty in 2009. "This will force us to work harder to match up with other countries," said Bunnie Hadsall, a competitor from Westwood High School in Mesa, Arizona.

China, Turkey, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates all fielded teams for the first time. "It made me feel like a world citizen," said Grace Yang, captain of the team from Hangzhou Foreign Language School in Hangzhou, China.

Anirudh Sivaram, who helped to launch the program at the Modern School of Dubai and carried his country's flag at the tournament's opening ceremonies, added, "On the plane journey back home, the twelve of us were already strategizing as to how we could kick butt next year."

Program sponsors included the DemiDec Corporation, FunnelBrain LLC, and iRespond. The 2009 World Finals were hosted by Nanyang Girls' High School, with support from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

In a statement, the STB noted that "staging the World Scholar's Cup has strengthened Singapore's reputation as a global exchange capital and enhanced its value proposition as an intellectual hub. Drawing outstanding youths from around the world, it has raised our global profile and showcased our vibrancy as a host for youth-oriented international events."

At the awards ceremony on Sunday evening, students cheered when Berdichevsky announced the curriculum theme for the upcoming competition season: A World Divided. "There's a bit of irony to that," admitted Berdichevsky, "since a major goal of the program is to help bring the world together."

For more information on the World Scholar's Cup, or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.scholarscup.org.

About the World Scholar's Cup

With participants in over 30 countries, the World Scholar's Cup is the world's leading all-around team academic competition. Teams learn a global curriculum spanning diverse subjects and skills, from science and art to writing and debate. They then participate year-round in an online community and compete in person at regional and world tournaments.

SOURCE The World Scholar's Cup

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