All Dwight participants won various medals and trophies, qualifying them to advance to the finals — the Tournament of Champions at Yale University this November!

For the uninitiated, the World Scholar’s Cup is an international academic competition in which students from top international schools around the world study a common curriculum designed to make learning relevant and fun. They then compete against one another as teams in collaborative writing, debates, and other challenges at the regional level, and depending on their results, move on to the global level. The theme of this year’s World Scholar’s Cup is “Reconstructing the Past.”

Lions Study Hard and Roar Loudly!
Dwight’s team began working in January with their dedicated coach, Marie Nieto, Head of Middle School Humanities, in preparation for the New York City regional round, which was held at Dwight in March. Ms. Nieto, who brought her passion for the World Scholar’s Cup to our School, won the 2019 Coach of the Year when she and our students participated in the global round held that summer in Beijing. 

Middle School students, who apply to be part of the program, commit their lunch periods to attend study sessions with Ms. Nieto several days a week. They also put in additional time after school, when they continue studying the curriculum together in teams of three.

This year, 53 Dwight Middle Schoolers participated in the regional round, showcasing their critical thinking, teamwork, research, writing, collaboration, debate, and public speaking skills — and all were eligible to move forward. Among them, 22 students ventured across the pond this summer to compete against 500 fellow scholars from around the world at University College London.

After the opening ceremony, the competition got underway with the “Scholar’s Bowl,” where teams raced against the clock to solve analytic questions and multimedia challenges. Writing exams and debates followed, earning them a number of medals and titles, and setting a strong tone for the rest of the competition.

In the Debate Showcase, an additional event with the global round’s top eight junior debaters, ages 11 through 14, Dwight Lion Alice, a rising seventh grader who had gained a top score, was nominated from among the 500 scholars to participate on a team with students from other schools – the top debaters this year. 

Throughout the week-long event, students also participated in community-building activities with their competitors. They made new friends during a scavenger hunt and Scholar’s Fair, where every school has its own booth showcasing its home nation’s culture.

Our scholars’ educational journey didn’t end with the competition. They enjoyed seeing some of London’s cultural and historical sites during their stay, from London Bridge to the Globe Theatre.

The trip and competition was packed to the brim with teamwork and plenty of excitement. Here is the mighty line-up of our individual and team achievements:

2nd place for Australia and the Americas and 8th place Overall: Max ’27, Nathan ’27, and Jonas ’27
7th place Champion Overall Scholar: Max ’27
Individual Debate, 2nd place: Alice ’29
Individual Writing: Evalyn ’28
Individual Challenge: Max ’27
Team Debate, 4th place: Max ’27, Nathan ’27, and Jonas ’27; 9th place: Lais ’29, Alice ’29, and Jerlea, a sixth grader from Bahamas International School who joined our team
Team Writing, 4th place: Faye ’28, Evalyn ’28, and David ’28
Team Bowl: Max ’27

“Aside from the excitement of winning medals and trophies, what truly matters is the chance for our Dwight students to connect with and challenge peers from all corners of the globe. It was wonderful seeing them making friends, while also showcasing their academic skills on such a global stage and they should be very proud of themselves,” shares Ms. Nieto.

At the closing ceremony, rising seventh grader Noah, who had been nominated by fellow Scholars, had the distinct honor of carrying the U.S. flag on behalf of all American students.

We are so incredibly proud of all of our scholars for their accomplishments and of Dwight’s team, which placed in the top ten among 166 global teams! Thank you, Ms. Nieto, for your ongoing commitment to this program and for nurturing our students’ lion-sized achievements!

We can’t wait to cheer on our Lions this fall, when they enter the culminating event of the World Scholar’s Cup at Yale! Go Lions, go!