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Tahlequah Greenwood Gorillas, second place winners in the third to fifth grade division. From LtoR, front row: Austin Weaver, Emma Washee, and Chelsea Campbell. Back row: Adeline Cochran, Maggie White, and Kelli Oosahwee.

TAHLEQUAH, OK - Teams from area schools gathered together to test their knowledge on Cherokee government and history in the recent Cherokee Challenge Bowl held at the Cherokee Nation Tribal Complex in Tahlequah.

"The goal of the Cherokee Challenge Bowl is to increase learning and interest in Cherokee history and government among the JOM (Johnson O'Malley) students in public school," said Gary Girty, JOM field specialist for the Cherokee Nation and director of the Cherokee Challenge Bowl. "We encourage the students to research the topics on their own and it gives them a competitive goal to reach."

The Cherokee Nation awarded winning students individual plaques and student award stipends. Each winning team received a team plaque and each sponsor received a sponsor plaque at the Cherokee Challenge Bowl awards banquet at the Southern Hills Marriot in Tulsa.

"This is the ninth or tenth year for the Cherokee Challenge Bowl, and it's grown every year," Girty said. "We've had some of the same kids compete since they were in elementary and junior high and now they're in high school. It's really become a tradition at some of these schools."

Students compete in age divisions by grade and are given trivia questions based on their grade level. Seven teams competed in the Kindergarten to second grade division. The winners were: First place: Osage C.I.A. Team members are Corey Soap, Raven Campos, Isabella Campos, Caleb Gipson, and Cody Moore. Sponsor is Sylbvia Soap. Second place: Briggs Tsa-La-Gi's. Team members are Ramon Garcia, Kristen Degase, Steven Shade, Megan Towie, and Melody Proctor. Sponsor is Jessie Craig. Third place: Briggs A-Wo-Ha-Li's. Team members are Anthony Fields, Hortencia Garcia, Leticia Rios, Brittanie Fritts, and Maegan Blevins. Sponsor is Ella Fields.

Sixteen teams competed in the third grade to fifth grade division. The winners were: First place: Osage Redbirds. Team members are Nevada Campos, Braily Glenn, Brooke Million, Austen Brooner, and Zak Gipson. Sponsor is Sylvia Soap. Second place: Tahlequah Greenwood Gorillas. Team members are Chelsea Campbell, Austin Weaver, Maggie White, Kelli Oosahwee, and Emma Washee.

Thirty-one teams competed in the sixth to eighth grade division. The winners were: First place: Gore Spirit Keepers. Team members are Sarah Holcomb, John Brooks, Tyler Nediger, Caleb Whitekiller, and Casey Burns. Second place: Grove Red Fire. Team members are Bryer Sears, Stephanie Killion, Kellea Hampton, Shandi Crossley, and Cassie Pratt. Third place: Shiloh McKinney, Jessica McKinney, Tashua Risley, Erin Qualls, and Caitlin Cawhorn.

Twenty teams competed in the ninth to twelfth grade division. Winners were: First place: Gore Ravens. Team members are Michael Holcomb, Michelle Locust, Heather Gourd, Kin Vanzant, and Sara Elyssin. Second place: Sequoyah (Tahlequah) A-ni-s-ga-s-ti. Team members are Eric Marshall, Bonita Carey, Ben Cody Bush, Ashley Benitez, and Joe Byrd. Third place: Grove Red. Team members are Nakya Griggs, Nikan (Heather) Nuckolls, Timmy Steen, Kassey Harjo, and Erika Harjo.