College students in Jeopardy!

WINSTED — It was a night of answers and questions, in that order, at Northwestern Connecticut Community College’s fifth annual Jeopardy! tournament, held at Founders Hall Auditorium on Friday, March 25.The contest included five student teams made up of members of on-campus groups: the History Association, the Student Senate, Phi Theta Kappa, the REAL Club and the Criminal Justice Association.The event was also a benefit for the Salvation Army Food Bank in Winsted, with the teams raising more than $1,467 for the charity.Playing host and “Alex Trebek” for the night was event organizer Todd Bryda, who is also professor of history at the college.“I think playing Jeopardy! is a good way to give students a way to show off their academic skills,” Bryda said. “That’s why we’re not playing ‘The Price Is Right’ or ‘Wheel Of Fortune.’ We’re a college. We want to show that it takes more than just luck to win at a game.”Before the game, Corrine Zerbarini, a member of the Student Senate team, said she was more than ready for the challenge.“The strategy to win at Jeopardy! is to study hard,” Zerbarini said. “Just study hard and listen to your professors.”Peter Hill, a member of the History Association team, said his strategy for winning at Jeopardy! is simple.“You just need to know everything,” Hill said. “Do I have what it takes to win? Yes.”Hill’s History Association team came in second place.Instead, last year’s champions, the REAL Club, won, beating the History Association team by one point.“It was by far the best tournament we have had,” Bryda said after the event.

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