2009-2010 Air Force JROTC Academic Challenge
Participate in this FREE Academic Competition and your team may win a chance to compete in the Academic Championship
in
Washington, DC!
IMPORTANT NOTICES TO ALL LEVEL II ACADEMIC AND LEADERSHIP TEAMS!
- 1. Level II competition begins on Wednesday, Jan. 13. As during Level I, the website will be live 24 hours/day until the conclusion on Monday, Jan. 25.
- 2. If your school is prone to closures due to winter weather, please do not wait until the final day (Mon. Jan. 25) of the competition to participate. Extensions will be given on a very limited basis.
- 3. DO NOT “test” your password or use it more than one time! The program tracks the use of each password and teams will be eliminated if the password is used more than once. If you have any questions about your password (it is the same one you used in Level I), please contact Emily Donahue (edonahue@collegeoptions.net).
- 4. GOOD LUCK!!
Dates of Competition |
|
| Practice Quiz (optional) | October 12 – 23, 2009 |
| Registration Begins | November 2, 2009 |
| Level I – The Challenge | November 9 – 18, 2009 |
| Level II – Zero Hour Threat | January 13 - 25, 2010 |
| Level III – The Championship | April 23 - 26, 2010 |
- All units participate in Level I
- Teams with scores in the top 50% in Level I will participate in Level II
- There will be 14 Academic teams advancing to the Academic Championship. Level III will be held in Washington, DC (exact location to be determined).
- If your school is prone to winter storms and school closings, please do NOT wait until the last day to participate. Deadline extensions will be granted on a very limited basis.
- All teams advancing to Level III (The Championship) will be asked to participate in a peer-to-peer tutoring project. Cadets will prepare a lesson and questions about a subject covered on the SAT/ACT. The lesson will be filmed and distributed to all JROTC units to help other students prepare for college entrance exams.
Easy Steps to participate (all details outlined below)
College Options Foundation – for further information and links to reference websites as well as the competition website, go to www.collegeoptionsfoundation.net
COF Contests – to participate in the practice round, Level I and Level II, go to www.cofcontests.com
How to Assemble an Academic Team
Each JROTC unit will be allowed one team consisting of four cadets**, including two juniors and two sophomores. Freshmen may “play up” in place of a sophomore. Seniors may not be included on the team. Two alternates (one sophomore and one junior) may be named in case a team member must drop out before the end of the competition. The alternates may participate in the online testing: however, if selected to participate in the final round in Washington, DC, only four team members will attend.
Instructors may assess each potential team member by grades, performance on the practice round, ability to work with a team and/or enthusiasm for the competition. The instructor has the final decision on the members of the team and may use the OPTIONAL Practice Round (Oct. 12 – 23, 2009) developed by the Foundation as a method of choosing team members. The Practice Round will consist of 25 questions similar to those questions in Level I and II. All cadets in the unit may take the Practice Round at an internet-accessible computer either in the classroom, at home, in the library or other location. The cadets should logon to www.cofcontests.com, answer the questions and print out their scores to turn into the instructor. It is up to each instructor to review the scores and determine members of the team.
** Please note that there is a change in the number of cadets per team this year. Each team may consist of four cadets including two juniors and two sophomores Two alternates are allowed to participate in the online portion of the competition and may replace a team member in the final round; however, only four team members will travel to the final round.
One of the main goals of the JROTC Academic Challenge is to prepare students for state exit/graduation exams as well as college entrance exams, such as the SAT and ACT. However, many JROTC instructors are understandably interested in measuring how well their cadets are learning the JROTC curriculum. Therefore, we will have a mix of JROTC curriculum as well as English, Math and Science in each level of the competition. We will also include a few questions about current events – focusing on national and international news, particularly international relations, politics, business and science. All of the current events questions will be taken from major media available on television, the internet and in daily newspapers.
Level I – The Challenge will include 25% JROTC questions, 65% SAT/ACT-type questions and 10% current events questions.
Level II – Zero Hour Threat will include 15% JROTC questions, 75% SAT/ACT-type questions and 10% current events questions.
The JROTC curriculum questions will come from Leadership Education I and II with primary focus on leadership preparation, wellness and fitness, group/team dynamics and communication skills.
We encourage all cadets, whether they are on the academic team or not, to prepare for the ACT, SAT and ASVAB tests by reviewing English, Science and Math coursework. There are several resources available, free-of-charge, to all students.
Websites to review include:
www.cofcontests.com – practice questions developed by the Foundation
www.cofcontests.com – online SAT and ACT guides
www.number2.com – a free test prep website
www.march2success.com – a free test prep website
www.foxnews.com/index.html - FOX News
www.cnn.com/studentnews/ - CNN Student News
www.npr.org/ - National Public Radio
www.reuters.com/ - Reuters
www.usatoday.com/ - USA Today Newspaper
In this packet of information, we have included The Complete Guide to College Financing and Admissions. This step-by-step approach will help all of your cadets navigate the intricacies of college admissions and financing.
Registration begins on Monday, November 2, 2009. To register go to http://www.cofcontests.com. Teams are not required to pre-register in order to compete in Level I – The Challenge; however, it will take approximately 15 minutes to answer a few required questions before the actual test begins. So, we suggest that each instructor register his or her team before the team is ready to participate in the first round. Registration will be open until the last day of Level I competition (Nov. 18), so an instructor can still register a team up until the last day of Level I.
All teams will be competing against similar teams. We will categorize by demographics including socio-economic and geographic factors. Please be prepared to answer the following questions:
High School Name, Address, Phone Number
Instructor Name, Email Address, Phone Number
Cadet Names, Grade, Gender, GPA, Years in JROTC
High School Demographics – Number of students, Number in Free Lunch Program, Athletic Category (ex. 3A, 8A), type of school (suburban, rural, private, public, etc.)
Official Rules of the Competition
- The designated contact should be a JROTC instructor with access to email. Most correspondence with teams is through email; therefore, it is essential that instructors check their email and respond as soon as possible. Foundation staff is also available by phone for questions or concerns. (1-888-JROTC-USA or 770.632.0399 or edonahue@collegeoptions.net)
- Each JROTC unit will be allowed one team consisting of four cadets. There shall be two juniors and two sophomores on the team. Two alternates (one sophomore and one junior may be named and may participate in the online portion of the competition.
- The Challenge and Zero Hour Threat are internet-based competitions. The team must have high speed (DSL, cable, t1, etc.) internet access (not via a dial-up connection).
- The Challenge and Zero Hour Threat each require approximately one hour to complete. Once a team has logged in, there is no ability to stop and start over. The competition must be completed in one sitting.
- No one is allowed in the room during the competition except for the 4 members of the team, 2 alternates and one instructor who will act as proctor for the test.
- No outside sources (dictionary, thesaurus, text book, newspaper, etc.) are allowed. Calculators, pens/pencils and scratch paper are permitted.
- No communication about the competition with other JROTC teams or schools is allowed. Teams are not permitted to discuss the questions or design of the competition with anyone outside of the team members and instructors.
- All scores will be sent to the Foundation’s server automatically. If a team believes there has been an error in scoring, the team must contact the Foundation via phone or email with 12 hours of the completion of their participation (upon finishing the game). A written explanation of the problem will be required and should be sent via email (edonahue@collegeoptions.net).
- If there is an electrical outage or other technical difficulty during the competition, the team must contact the Foundation via phone or email within 12 hours of the difficulty. A written explanation of the problem will be required and should be sent via email (edonahue@collegeoptions.net).
- The JROTC Academic Challenge is relying on the adherence by all teams to the JROTC Code of Honor/Core Values. The Foundation expects that all team members and instructors will abide by all rules.
- Finally, we believe the No. 1 rule in this competition is…. Have Fun! We hope you enjoy this challenge.
Below are several frequently asked questions. If you do not see your specific question here, email us at edonahue@collegeoptions.net.
Q: Do we have to have two juniors and two sophomores on the team?
A: Yes, rules require that each team include two juniors and two sophomores. The inclusion of sophomores allows units to mix their students between classes (generating interest in two class levels) and prevents units from “stacking the deck” and including only juniors. It will also allow continuity in the team next year so that the experienced sophomores can participate again.
Q: Why can’t seniors participate?
A: One of the main goals of this program is to prepare students for college entrance exams (SAT and ACT). The competition will not conclude until late spring/early summer after most seniors have completed their high school exit and college entrance exams. Another program goal is to increase retention among 10th and 11th graders which would not include graduating seniors.
Q: I don’t want my seniors to miss out on a JROTC event. How can I get them involved?
A: Instructors may use seniors as “coaches” during the team’s preparation for the competition. Seniors can drill team members on language arts, math, science, JROTC curriculum and current events. However, seniors are NOT allowed in the room during the actual testing.
Q: How do I register a team?
A: Just log onto the contest website (http://www.cofcontests.com) beginning on November 2, 2009. Please be prepared to answer the following questions and allow the extra time it will take to register before beginning the game. You may register a team several days prior to competing in Level I to save time on testing day.
Registration information required:
High School Name, Address, Phone Number
Instructor Name, Email Address, Phone Number
Cadet Names, Gender, Grade, Years in JROTC, GPA
High School Demographics – Number of students, Number in Free Lunch Program, Athletic Category (ex. 3A, 8A), type of school (suburban, rural, private, public, etc.)
Q: Where can I find the SAT and ACT guides to study for the competition?
A. Go to www.cofcontests.com, click on Air Force and click on the link to SAT/ACT Guides.
Q: When does Level I: The Challenge begin?
A: Level I begins Nov. 9 and concludes on Nov. 18.
Q: Do I have to sign up for a test time?
A: No, the competition website (www.cofcontests.com) is live and available 24 hours/day during the 10 day testing window.
Q: Is there a deadline to participate?
A: Yes, all teams must complete Level I by Nov. 18, 2009.
Q: When I click on http://www.cofcontests.com , I cannot access the test. Why?
A: If it is prior to Nov. 9, 2009, you will not be able to access the Level I test. If you are having difficulty accessing Level I: The Challenge during the test dates (Nov. 9 - 18), please email us at edonahue@collegeoptions.net.
Q: How long will the test take?
A: The test should take less than one hour, but if you have not registered, you should allow extra time to login to the website and enter the required information. Once a team has logged in, there is no ability to stop and start over. The competition must be completed in one sitting.
Q: I can’t load the contest website. What should I do?
A: First, check to make sure you have installed Flash. If you are still unable to connect, check with your internet administrator at school. The school may have an internet security blocking system preventing you from accessing the website. Ask the administrator to adjust the security settings.
Q: Our school computer will not allow access to the website, even after we’ve worked with the network administrator. What should I do?
A: Find another computer system to access the website. You may try the school library, local library or a home computer. And please note, the team must have high speed (DSL, cable, t1, etc.) internet access (not via a dial-up connection) in order to participate.
Q: How will we know our score?
A: At the end of each of the three sections, you will know your score. At the end of the program, you will receive your final score.
Q: How will College Options Foundation and Cadet Command know our score?
A: Scores will automatically be sent to the Foundation’s server. However, we recommend that you print your scores in case your computer loses connection with the Foundation’s server. In that case, you will receive an error message and should fax your score page to 1-888-576-8287.
Q: How will we know if we made it to Level II?
A: All teams will receive an email at the conclusion of Level I: The Challenge. Teams moving onto Level II: Zero Hour Threat will be listed on the Foundation’s website.
Q: How many teams will advance to Level II?
A: The teams scoring in the top 50% will move on to Level II. The number of teams competing in Level II will be half of the number in Level I (but we won’t have that total number until after Level I has closed).
Q: Are all expenses covered for teams advancing to the final championship round in Washington, DC?
A: Yes, all travel, lodging and meals are covered. Incidental expenses (souvenirs, etc.) are not included.
A: Congratulations! You (the team and one instructor/chaperone) will win an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC. In addition, all teams advancing to the final round will receive certificates of achievement, college success software and team plaques. Other prizes may be awarded.