Earned a 1st place in Competition for Their Knowledge of cows and soybean.

Ag Jeopardy Team of Minooka Elementary School, Minooka

All you ever wanted to know about corn, soybean, cows, dairy and farming careers you can just ask a local farmer. Right? 

Not necessarily. 

The six member Ag Jeopardy Team of Minooka Elementary School have enough knowledge to answer your questions. 

In the future, April 29 will be not only be known for the Royal Wedding, but, better yet, for the team winning first place at competition against 11 other schools in Grundy County.

The team, all fourth graders, said they were nervous about the competition and were afraid they did not have the correct answers. Apparently they did because they broke a nine-year streak and brought home a first place trophy.

“I was very excited,” said Emily Blenck. “I was jumping up and down when I heard we won.”

“I’m glad we beat Coal City,” said Mikayla Martin, adding that Coal City’s team is good and are known for being the best team in the area.

The team consists of six 10-year-olds; Martin, Jamie Dibiase, Christian Martinez, Jakob Newton, Pablo Pardo and Blenck. The team is coached by Noreen Dollinger and Yvonne Foss is the coordinator of the team. The program has been in place for 23 years.

Lindsay Greenberg, fourth grade teacher said Dollinger was a very vital part of the team. She said two to three times a week she pulled the students from the class to study agriculture.

“Without Mrs. Dollinger, we wouldn’t have done (well),” Dibiase said.

Parents and the other fourth grade teachers were the cheering section for the team during competition. They were as excited as well.

“We were all excited for them,” said Lindsay Greenberg, fourth grade teacher. “I even was crying a little.”

During the competition, the students had to answer a series of questions, including multiple choice and true and false as a team on several agriculture topics. The team had to match vocabulary and do small hands-on experiments. And as individuals they had to answer questions on an agriculture topic they excelled in.

According to Greenberg, students were given a study guide to review. Students than took a test to qualify for the team. The top six students earn a spot on the team. This year, 13 students qualified, but some had the same scores. Those were than randomly chosen out of a hat.

“We are very proud of all of them, but only six could be on a team,” Greenberg said.

Martin said the questions were pretty easy, but Dibiase said there was a math problem in the section about soybeans that was challenging.

Newton said his Uncle Rick, who is a farmer, assisted him in studying. Martinez said having friends that live on farms benefitted his studies.

“When I saw the study packets, I was like “wow,”” Martinez said. “After studying, I didn’t realize I knew so much.”

Pardo said he learned a lot being on the team, but Greenberg said she loved how the kids worked together and were able to communicate with each other.

Each of the team members are involved in other extracurricular activities such as dance, sports, reading clubs, scouts, cheerleading, safety patrol and more. Several are also enrolled in the school’s gifted programs.

Even though they have the knowledge of agriculture, the six team members are unsure about a career in farming.

Martin likes to garden, but Blenck doesn’t see herself on a farm for more than two weeks.

“You don’t know if you like farming unless you try,” Dibiase said.