NH HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMIC TEAMS VIE TO COMPETE IN NHPTV’S 2016 GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE SEASON

(DURHAM, November 18, 2015) — Forty-eight New Hampshire high school academic teams competed for a place in the 32nd season of GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE (GSC) on November 15th. The teams gathered at Manchester Community College for the “Super Sunday” event, taking a quiz they hoped would place them in the top bracket.The GSC Super Sunday qualifying contest featured school teams of up to six players from grades 9 – 12 taking a written quiz together. The 16 teams with the highest scores will compete in the 2016 season of GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE, which premieres early next year on New Hampshire Public Television. Through spirited competition and questions that align with state curriculum standards, GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE is an entertaining and educational series that generates school pride and has an enthusiastic on-air and online audience. Eighteen teams secured scores high enough to be in the running for one of the 16 slots: 14 teams are now guaranteed to play, and four teams will compete in two non-televised games for the other two places. The teams are:14 FINAL TEAMS Bishop Guertin High SchoolBow High SchoolConcord High School ConVal High SchoolDover High SchoolFall Mountain Regional HighHopkinton High SchoolKearsarge Regional High SchoolKeene High School (pictured above)Manchester Central High SchoolMerrimack High SchoolNashua High School SouthPlymouth Regional HighSalem High School4 TEAMS COMPETING FOR TWO SLOTSJohn Stark Regional High SchoolStevens High SchoolLaconia High SchoolSouhegan High School The defending champions from Bishop Guertin return this year. Coach Lisa Larochelle noted, "We're very excited to be back again!"Coach Sara Campbell of Merrimack High said, "My students are so excited to be participating in Granite State Challenge this year! The team is looking forward to working together to practice for the next round of competition." Thanks to the generosity of lead sponsor Unitil Corporation, a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE is able continue to challenge high school students and viewers. "Yet again, the intellect shown by New Hampshire students on Super Sunday was mind-blowing," said Carol Valianti, Unitil's VP of communications and public affairs. "Year after year, I am in awe of the collective brilliance GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE showcases, and Unitil is proud to be a part of such a fantastic event."At the end of the season, watch for a Granite State vs. Bay State match between the winners of the GRANITE STATE SUPERCHALLENGE and the WGBH Boston High School Quiz Show. NHPTV also offers an interactive, online quiz version of GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE where individuals can take the Challenge and play against each other in real time at nhptv.org/gsc/online-quiz.htmIt takes a winning combination of knowledge, teamwork, grace under pressure, and a quick buzzer reflex to play GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE. The show brings New Hampshire's top high school academic teams head-to-head in lively competition. The game emphasizes quick recall of material in all major disciplines - math, science, social studies, language and fine arts - along with a mix of questions about current events, entertainment, sports, and regional topics. Host Jim Jeannotte poses the Challenge questions to the teams and interviews the team members. Visit the website at nhptv.org/gscGRANITE STATE CHALLENGE is generously funded by lead sponsor Unitil; additional funding is provided by NEA-New Hampshire, Markem-Imaje, Heinemann Publishing, PAX World Investments, DF Richard, Measured Progress, New Hampshire Higher Education Association Foundation (NHHEAF) Network Organizations, Manchester Community College, and W.S. Badger Company, Inc.Watch GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE online anytime at video.nhptv.org

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