March 22, 2025

MIDDLE SCHOOL: GETTING STARTED
 

MS REGISTRATION LINK

https://forms.gle/oEurjuMmzyzd7Atr7

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This is a "How- to" guideline for schools forming their first Tenacity Challenge teams. These are recommendations only, as different schools tend to generate their own unique approaches. With this year's competition scheduled for May 10th, 2025, we recommend that teams form and begin preparing any time between October 1, 2024 and November 13, 2024. This allows for between three to five months of preparation.

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Make sure payment has been sent to Bedford High School. 

1. Identify a faculty advisor: The faculty advisor serves as a team convener, coordinator, advisor, and if he/she has a subject area expertise, a coach as well. Many schools pay a stipend to the faculty advisor, but as is often the case with clubs and activities, sometimes not until the second year. The advisor should familiarize him/herself with the competition rules, rubrics, etc. so that students don't lose points by missing deadlines or misreading event requirements.

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2. Recruit student participants: Teams may be composed of eight members (there may be less, we suggest not less than four, but not more than eight). A school may send more than one team. Schools may determine how they select students. The preference is to have teams made up of students who reflect the range of skills and achievement levels within the school, but some schools select their strongest students. We recommend having mixed grade teams so that:

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• There is continuity from year to year

• The range of math content is from pre-Algebra through Algebra

• Recruiting Tool: Our award winning seven-minute video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch4BKn7l3kI, is a very effective recruiting tool. The students' powerful testimony and excitement are infectious.

• Our experience: Many schools report that it is often more effective for teachers or administrators to tell students that they want them to join rather than ask them if they are interested. As a strengths-based approach to closing achievement gaps, this program is about communicating high expectations and belief in students' ability to meet them.

 

3. Division of Labor: It is important to be clear with the students from the beginning that not all team members are expected to prepare for all three events. This would be overwhelming and if students misunderstand this, they may be reluctant to participate. Most teams then create their own division of labor based upon interest and often facilitated by the students themselves. The three "events", each of which is fully described on the website, are:

• Leadership Action Project

• Math Quiz Bowl Challenge (Pre-Algebra and Algebra)

• Global Voices Literary Analysis

 

4. Home Base/ Teacher Coaches: The faculty advisor typically provides a home base for team meetings. These are usually weekly, increasing in frequency as the competition nears, but they may also initially be bi-weekly, with students doing some early small group work in between.

• Students are encouraged to reach out to teachers (the advisor can facilitate this if necessary) to provide coaching/advice during the months of preparation- after school, during an activities block, etc. An email from the advisor or principal to the faculty can help to facilitate this process. Commonly, the team will assemble at the home base after school or during advisory or activity blocks and then go to the library, to their teacher coaches, etc. to work on their tasks.

• Any teacher or staff member would be a great coach for the leadership project.  English teachers frequently give feedback to students on their literary analysis/rationale and performance. Art, math and science teachers also similarly provide assistance where needed.

 

5. Send in Registration Form and Pay Close Attention to Deadlines:

• The registration form and $100 fee per team have due dates listed on the website.

• We need T-shirt sizes on time so we can provide for all participants.

• There is a deadline listed on the website for sending in a video of the Literary Analysis and Rationale.

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Suggested Timeline

October - November

Recruit team advisors

Create teams of 8 members (or less)

 

Choose the book each team will read.

Order/Borrow books and locate an audio version 

 

Choose a STEM engineering design challenge for groups of 4 to do as they begin to establish their team norms, strengthen their communication skills and learn more about each other.

 

Establish a meeting schedule and group norms and expectations 

 

November - December 

Register your team, including all student names and T-shirt sizes. The form can be found online.

 

Submit payment request to your principal or district offices

 

Complete the reading of the book

 

Complete the research needed for the Leadership Project, including the interview

 

Determine areas of expertise for the competition

• 3 students:  Math Quiz Bowl

• 4 students: STEM Challenge 

• Up to 8 students: Literary Analysis

• Up to 8 students: Leadership Project

 

Download practice questions for the Math Quiz Bowl from the MathCounts site

Math Quiz Bowl participants: Do 3-5 questions per meeting

 

Do a mock STEM engineering design challenge for teams with a 45 minute time limit. 

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January

Begin working on the Leadership Action Project. 

Determine an implementation date with your school administrators. Add it to your team calendar of important dates. 

 

Begin working on the Literary Analysis

 

Do a mock STEM engineering design challenge for teams with a 45 minute time limit. 

 

Send a ‘Save the Date’ inviting families to attend on May 10th, 2025 at Bedford High School, 9 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA. 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

 

Discuss transportation needs for competition day and develop a plan with your building/district administration.

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February 

Write the rationale for the Literary Analysis. Have team members (or other supports) edit the drafts until complete.

 

Write the rationale for the Leadership Action Project. 

Begin creating your presentation for the Leadership Action Project based upon the rubric.

 

Download practice questions for the Math Quiz Bowl from the Math Olympiad site

Math Quiz Bowl participants: Do 3-5 questions per meeting

 

March

Submit the Literary Analysis rationale and Literary Analysis item (video, image or document) to Jen Ilchuk by May 1, 2025  

 

Finalize your Literary Analysis and Leadership Action Project presentations and practice in front of an audience and mock judges.

 

Do a mock STEM engineering design challenge for teams with a 45 minute time limit.

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May

Develop a plan for all students and presentation materials to get to Bedford High School on May 10, 2025 by 8:00 am

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Complete the request for feedback form when you receive it