THE 14TH ANNUAL
2024-25 AFRICAN AMERICAN & LATINO/A
TENACITY CHALLENGE
2024-2025 PROMPT
Media plays a major role in US politics and elections, and in today’s digital age, social media (for example YouTube, Tik Tok, Instagram, X), has become the main source of political information for teenagers and young adults. By political information, we mean:
• Information and opinions about political candidates
• Information and opinions about public policies
• Information and opinions about social issues, the state of the economy, international issues, etc. as they influence the thinking of voters as they go to the polls.
Given its impact and the degree of unreliable or intentionally distorted information on social media, do you think that it should or should not be regulated?
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a. If yes, why, and how should this be done, and how should society address the tension between widespread inaccuracies, accountability and the First Amendment?
b. If no, why, and what do you recommend should be done to address the influence that misinformation and disinformation have on the electoral/democratic process?
(For the full prompt, click here)
About the
Tenacity Challenge
The Latino/a and African American Tenacity Challenge is an annual academic scholarship competition for teams of Latinx and African-American students from urban and suburban high schools across Massachusetts. Recommended team size is 6 (may not be larger than 6) students allowing for several members of each team to "specialize" in an area of the challenge preparation. During the extended period of preparation, students build academic capacity, strengthen intellectual risk-taking and develop enduring peer and faculty relationships.
Tenacity Challenge Video
The Competition
The Tenacity Challenge competition will consist of four events centered around the theme of tenacity and leadership. The competition will take place on April 26th, 2025. Each team will determine its own division of labor in order to prepare for the four events:
- Math Quiz Bowl Challenge (SAT Math) (There will be no Science component to the 2025 Tenacity Challenge)
- Literature Response Challenge (Video in response to a memoir read by the team)
- History Argument Challenge (Team will research and argue a position before a panel of judges)
- Tenacity Art Challenge- (artistic creation completed prior to the competition date and submitted online)
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A range of points will be earned for each event (see rubrics). The highest scoring teams for each event will be recognized with certificates or trophies. The winners of the overall competition (highest cumulative points) will win scholarships. Each member of the first place team will win a $1,000 scholarship; second place, a $700 scholarship; third place, a $400 scholarship and 4th place a $150 scholarship.
