By Julia, Room 7.
On 31st March, Kids’ Lit teams from all over Canterbury travelled to Tūranga Library to compete in the Kids’ Lit Quiz Regional Heat- we were all vying to win a spot in the Kids’ Lit National Finals. Our two teams of four representing He Tīwai Mātauranga were excited and nervous in the school van as we talked about the strangest things – definitely not reading – and laughed with people who weren’t usually our friends.
The quiz started fast. After a quick explanation by a man wearing a very strange hat, we had begun. There were ten categories with ten questions in each. A hundred questions in total seems like a lot, but the time flashed past in the blink of an eye. Every team also had to choose one of the categories where we would double our points, we chose mythology which all of us knew a bit about.
Nearing the end of the quiz, our team “Heaton 1”, consisting of Clara, Pearse, Ben and Julia, began to realise that we had accumulated a lead. Excitement levels built at our table as we realised we might have a chance of winning the competition for Heaton. As the results were announced we crossed our fingers. Third place was awarded to another team, then second place was also awarded to a different team to us. Our team looked at each other, was it too early to assume? I know what I did in the pause as first place was read out. I tried to read the quizmaster’s lips, guessing what he was going to say next.
“Heaton Normal Intermediate School, Team 1!” It almost wasn’t a surprise, but in another way it was a massive shock. None of us had ever won something like it before. We took photos at the front and were handed a shiny trophy with the previous winners engraved on it. It’s the first time ever that He Tīwai Mātauranga has won the Kids’ Lit Quiz Canterbury Heat (in 36 years!), and we were very proud to be that team. In addition to the trophy, we also won $1,400 to cover the cost of our team attending the National Final being held in Wellington in June. We can’t wait! And if we win the Nationals, we will be off to the WORLD FINALS, which this year are being held in… New Zealand!
