A team of students from Bartow High has emerged as the winner of this year’s Polk County High School Academic Tournament.
The Bartow crew was crowned champions on Tuesday evening, after the final round of the 40th annual tournament hosted at the Bartow Civic Center. BHS finished ahead of All Saints Academy and Harrison School for the Arts.
Congratulations to the team of IB Bartow students representing BHS: Sahil Ande, Pranav Gunjala, Juan Landaeta, Abraham Medina, Nicholas Miller and Kim-Linh Vo. Kudos as well to coaches Peggy Frisbie and Chris Guice.
Landaeta, Medina and Vo will be part of an all-county team representing Polk at the statewide Commissioner’s Academic Challenge at Universal Studios in April. The other team members are: Abrar Amin, Haines City High (IB); Farrell Dugazon, Chain of Lakes Collegiate High; James Lovely, All Saints Academy; Sarah McKinney, Harrison School for the Arts; Liam Moraczewski, All Saints Academy. Frisbie and Guice will also coach the all-county team.
Team Polk won first place in Division One at last year’s Commissioner’s Academic Challenge. Division One features the state’s largest school districts and is generally regarded as the event’s toughest division.