Ron Clark Academy 7th grader wins first National Amazing Shake Competition
Highly acclaimed Atlanta middle school tests students’ professional skills in challenging contest
ATLANTA (February 12, 2018) – During the weekend of February 9th-11th, the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) held its first National Amazing Shake Competition, a contest created to educate students about the nuances of professional and social interaction with an emphasis on displaying manners, discipline and respect. As a result, students are given the skills needed to present themselves exceptionally well for opportunities today and in the future.
Joined by their administrators and parents, approximately 130 students traveled to RCA’s campus to experience the competition, observe methods, and acquire the best practices for excelling in the setting. In addition to the country of Honduras, students and chaperones represented a total of 17 states. Beginning Friday afternoon, students encountered several practice rounds to help prepare them for the first official round of the competition. In the evening, the competition officially kicked off as students faced a challenging interview session.
On Saturday, all students journeyed through Round 2: The Gauntlet, a unique maze consisting of 23 stations where each student had 60 seconds to respond to a new situation in the best manner possible. Stations included corporate interviews, debates, speeches, and other complex scenarios created to catch students off-guard. In the subsequent challenges, the top 40 students “worked the room” by engaging in conversation with a room full of 70 professionals, the highest 27 students answered compelling questions with over 30 executives in the round-robin style “circle of doom” challenge, and the top 13 engaged in an on-stage interview with anchor and correspondent Melissa Knowles of CNN and Headline News.
On Sunday morning, the remaining 6 finalists were tested on their conversation skills during a breakfast with several judges. In front of hundreds of spectators, the final 3 students participated in an arduous on-stage interview with media personality, Ryan Cameron. In the end, Ron Clark Academy 7th grader, Keanen Andrews, earned the decisive votes to be named as the first National Amazing Shake Champion.
After a grueling yet exciting weekend of challenges, we all left inspired by each one of these competitors,” stated cofounder Ron Clark. “We’re so excited to plan the second annual national competition in 2019.
To see footage from the weekend’s activities, follow the school on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RonClarkAcademy and on Instagram, @ronclarkacademy. Also, photos from the event can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/2018NASRCA.
About the Ron Clark Academy
The Ron Clark Academy is a private, non-profit middle school and educator training program in Southeast Atlanta that promotes innovation and inspires its students and educators through energetic teaching balanced by a strict code of discipline. The Academy currently relies on outside funding to provide scholarships to students from varying academic and financial backgrounds. For more information, please visit ronclarkacademy.com.
About the National Amazing Shake
The National Amazing Shake is a 3-day competition consisting of case-scenario stations positioned around the school that every student must pass through while exercising etiquette, composure, and savoir-faire. During the weekend, top performers advance to the next level of challenges until there is one overall national champion! The National Amazing Shake Competition is open to any student in the 5th-8th grade during the 2018-19 school year. Schools are encouraged to have local Amazing Shake competitions and to send their top performers to Nationals. Districts are also encouraged to conduct district-level competitions with the winners from local schools. The number of students sent by a school or school district is up to their discretion. The 2019 National Amazing Shake will be hosted at the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, GA from February 22 – 24, 2019. Registration will open in spring 2018 at http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/nationals
Media Contacts
Kim Bearden, 678-428-5472
bearden@ronclarkacademy.com
Kirk Brown, 678-651-2101
kbrown@ronclarkacademy.com
