Four Holt students competed in the World Affairs Council of St. Louis and won an all expense paid trip to Washington D.C. to compete at the national level and tour the nation’s capital. Christian Hunn (‘18), Noah Cella (‘18), Jonathan Gutierrez (‘18) and Palmer Soberg (‘19) brought home the win for Holt High School.

This competition included over 120 students and topics about world affairs, foreign policy, geography and current events. After many hours and seven rounds Holt was tied for first place. “We must be doing something right,” said Hunn. Duchesne High School and Holt High School went head to head in a tiebreaker round. Holt answered the bonus question right and ended with a score of 54 points. “We went into a bonus round and in that bonus round we managed to get it right and they didn’t,” said Soberg.

Over 4,000 high school students participate in World Quest every year to be quizzed about global issues and foreign policy. For all four students, this will be their first time in the nation’s capital and they will be able to participate in the national competition as well as experience new things including meeting congressmen and diplomats. “It means everything to me because something I want to be is some kind of diplomat,” said Gutierrez. World Quest has opened up new opportunities for these students.

By winning this competition Holt’s team has gotten the school’s name out and will be able to represent Holt in an academic environment. “I think it can put a greater emphasis on the social studies program such as the emphasis we put on STEM,” said Cella.