TWO well-known TV scientists entertained thousands of Cumbrian school children as they asked which pupils were the most UniverSilly Challenged.

TV presenter and author Simon Watt and self-described science ‘troubadour’ Jonny Berliner teamed up to host The React Foundation Big Quiz of the Year - UniverSilly Challenged event, in which secondary school pupils across West Cumbria battled it out to be top of the class.

The React Foundation hosted two days of lively virtual quizzes in place of Live Science Shows, which were adapted for pupils aged 11-13 due to Covid restrictions.

 

News and Star: QUIZZED: Television presenter Simon Watt speaks to participantsQUIZZED: Television presenter Simon Watt speaks to participants

 

Cockermouth School was one of the schools which joined in with the fun, and Head of Key Stage 4 Rik Smith shared how pupils loved every minute of it.

He said: “A great time was had by all involved in the UniverSilly Challenged quiz. The buzz in the classrooms as the students scrambled to respond to the questions was almost as exciting for the staff as it was for the pupils.

“The highs and lows as the scores were released after each question fuelled the competition between the teams to a frenzy.

“Nearly 700 students from Cockermouth School took part in the quiz and being able to return to work with React Foundation as we emerge from the pandemic was a delight.”

Each year, thousands of children in secondary schools across West Cumbria get involved in React Foundation’s annual shows, and volunteers at the organisation were delighted to be able to host an event, albeit virtually, building on the back of the success of the Live Primary Schows which returned to action earlier in the academic year.

News and Star: QUESTION: Whitehaven's St Benedict's School pupils take part in the quizQUESTION: Whitehaven's St Benedict's School pupils take part in the quiz

Kayleigh Daniels, a trustee of The React Foundation, said: “One of the main goals of the React Foundation is to provide unique and inspirational experiences, showing the vast possibilities that can be achieved through engaging with the sciences. We want to make this accessible to as many young people as possible, and events such as this certainly help us achieve that.

“The feedback from the schools which participated was overwhelmingly positive, and it’s rewarding when you hear that the pupils take away so much from the activity and want to expand their learning.”