DECATUR - The Decatur Assembly of God Junior Bible Quiz team will be going to the national championship at Cedar Hills, Texas, June 6-8. This, after qualifying at regionals held in Shreveport, La., April 25.
Amanda Duncan led the DAG team with an eighth place finish at the regional. Her teammate, Matt Anderson, took 13th.
At the state competition in Little Rock, Amanda took fifth place. It was at this competition that she was awarded her master seal for memorizing all 600 questions and answers.
The competition is divided into three age groups, kindergarten through grade 2, grades 3 and 4, and grades 5 and 6. There are three timed rounds.
Contestants are asked 60 questions pertaining to verses from the Bible. Each student must answer the questions word-for-word to receive points. The questions are chosen from a predetermined list of 600. Each answer has a point value of either 10, 20 or 30.
Duncan has been in JBQ since kindergarten. Her coach (and mother), Sandy Duncan, quizzes her for one hour a day in addition to her team practice. Amanda is now in the sixth grade, which means she is in her last year of competition. The Cedar Hills event will be her last. She can assist in several areas after the sixth grade but cannot compete.
“One hundred percent of the children that participate in the Junior Bible Quiz are likely to stay in church after they are finished competing,” Sandy Duncan said, adding that knowledge that students like Amanda and Matt pass on to the younger ones can lead to a positive lifestyle in the future.
The DAG team is accepting monetary donations to help pay for the trip to Cedar Hills, Texas. To help send the team to nationals, contact Decatur Assembly of God, 674 N. Main St., or 752-3230.
News, Pages 3 on 05/22/2013