PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Charlotte Klopp
Phone: 704-687-7759
Fax: 704-687-4372
cklopp@worldaffairscharlotte.org

The World Affairs Council of Charlotte Celebrates Academic WorldQuest Trivia Competition; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Area Students Compete for Prizes

Charlotte, N.C. – The World Affairs Council of Charlotte will host the eleventh annual Academic WorldQuest on Thursday, November 12 at the First Presbyterian Church (200 W. Trade St). Teams from 22 Charlotte-area high schools will participate in this international trivia competition and answer questions in history, current events, geography, international faces in the news, and other categories. The event is sponsored by The Map Shop, CPI Security Systems and Kurt Waldthausen, Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany to North Carolina and Founder and Chairman of the German Language and Culture Foundation.

Schools competing this year are: Berry Academy, Butler High School, Cannon School, Charlotte Christian School, Charlotte Country Day School, Charlotte Latin School, CMS Globetrotters, East Mecklenburg High School, Independence High School, Lake Norman High School, Mallard Creek High School, Marvin Ridge High School , Military & Global Leadership Academy, Myers Park High School, North Mecklenburg High School, Olympic High School, Porter Ridge High School, Providence Day School, Providence High School, Sun Valley High School, Vance High School, and Weddington High School. The student teams will compete for the top honors, which will include competing in the national competition in Washington DC on April 24, 2010.

The World Affairs Council of Charlotte celebrates the 11th anniversary of Academic WorldQuest. WorldQuest originated with the Council in 1996 when participants included teams from well-known businesses and corporations from around the region. In 1999, the Council initiated Academic WorldQuest for juniors and seniors in area high schools. Due to the success of Charlotte's Academic WorldQuest competition, the World Affairs Councils of America made it a flagship program and it is now played by more than 30 councils across the U.S. The competition emphasizes the importance of international events and commerce, encourages students to think globally, and rewards their interest in foreign cultures.

The World Affairs Council of Charlotte is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that focuses on improving international education and encourages the community to participate in the national debate on world affairs. The council invites renowned speakers to discuss current events and topics ranging from economics to globalization to foreign policy. These programs are held at locations in the Charlotte community and help to fulfill the Council's mission: to promote international understanding and global thinking by providing opportunities for our members, students, educators and others in the community to broaden their world view.