LVC quiz show will pit college students, faculty against elementary students

Lebanon Valley College is bringing together a group of local fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-graders on Tuesday for its inaugural Smarty Pants Showdown.

The college describes the event in a press release as “an energetic, fast-paced academic competition inspired by Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” According to the release, the elementary students will compete against LVC students, staff, and administrators – including LVC president James MacLaren – “in a fun, team-based test of knowledge across core subject areas.”

LVC’s Smarty Pants Showdown was designed by students in EDU140: Educational Technology in the Modern Classroom, a college course for future educators. The live event serves as the course final and highlights concepts learned in the course translated into practice, the release explains.

The program includes live, on-stage academic competition, with random student selection for participation and game show-style questions “aligned with elementary curriculum,” the release says. Audience participation and cheering will be encouraged.

Participating schools include Our Lady of the Cross, New Covenant Christian School, Pine Grove Elementary, and ELCO Elementary. The event “celebrates academic achievement, community partnership, and educational aspiration, while offering younger students an engaging introduction to the college experience,” according to the release.

The event will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday on campus at the Leedy Theater Allan W. Mund College Center at 1 E. Sheridan Ave., Annville.

According to the release, the Smarty Pants Showdown has an educational impact that includes reinforcing classroom learning in a high-energy format while encouraging confidence, teamwork, and critical thinking. It also introduces young students to a college campus at an early age and builds intentional school-to-college community partnerships.