On Wednesday, Nov. 9, the senior team of six students snagged second place at Houston’s World Affairs Council Energy Quest competition.

“Everyone really came together as a team in order to pursue our common goals,” senior Zachary Bonner said.
The competition was comprised of four rounds with twenty questions each that covered technological and geopolitical aspects of the energy industry.
“The team prepared by reading a variety of articles, from hydraulic fracturing to choke points,” AP Human Geography teacher Betsy Smalley said. “We think Cinco Ranch had strong teams because we fielded students from Science and Social Studies.”

The competition tests each student’s knowledge of the industry in an almost game show format.
“Some of the articles were actually pretty interesting and sparked really great conversation among the teammates,” sophomore Olivia Elder said.

Members of the senior team received medals for the victory after the results were announced. And some of those who participated received extra credit for their AP classes.
“It was very exciting to watch because as they announced the results of each of the four rounds, the Cinco seniors were always in first or second place,” Smalley said.
The senior team placed second out of twenty-four teams overall and the underclassmen team placed third in one round.
“Overall, it was a good team effort and even though we were one of the smallest teams at the competition we still did very well,” Bonner said. “I’m happy that I got the chance to participate in the competition and represent Cinco.”
Not only did they receive a medal, but the students came away from the competition with a new experience and knowledge that could be used in the future.
“It ended up being fun,” sophomore Olivia Elder said. “My teammates were great and they made the whole experience worthwhile.”