Merrimack Meets The Academy for Science and Design

(DURHAM, April 1, 2024) - The Academy for Science and Design meets defending champ Merrimack High in the first Quarterfinal Game of Granite State Challenge on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at 7:30 pm on NHPBS. Merrimack High defeated Belmont High and the Academy for Science and Design beat Manchester Central on their way to the Quarterfinals.

Playing for the Academy for Science and Design are captain and senior Chris Stemporzewski along with seniors Vidya Nandakumar and Daniel Ryckman, junior Pranav Grover, and team alternates juniors Danny Sargent and Edward Emerson. The team is coached by social studies teacher Shawn Kraus. The Academy for Science and Design is a public charter school located in Nashua and enrolls around 190 students.

Playing for Merrimack High are Captain and senior Kishan Sreenivasan joined by seniors Liam Clark and Trey Grant, and junior Erin Murray. Merrimack is coached by chemistry teacher Dr. Sara Campbell and Gifted and Talented Coordinator Sally Agel. Merrimack enrolls around 1,094 students.

The winner of the game will move on to the Semifinals where they will meet the winner of the second quarterfinal game between Souhegan High and Trinity High airing Thursday, April 11  at 7:30 pm on NHPBS.

Hosted by Bow High School teacher and former Granite State Challenge coach (Bedford High), contestant (Belmont High), and Granite State Challenge crew member, Jon Cannon, Granite State Challenge features some of New Hampshire's brightest high school students as they demonstrate remarkable teamwork, quick thinking, and smarts to beat the clock and buzz in first on this iconic New Hampshire game show. The game emphasizes quick recall of math, science, social studies, language arts, and fine arts facts - along with questions about current events, entertainment, sports, and New Hampshire.

You can follow your favorite team, test your knowledge with GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE online quizzes, and more at the GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE web page, or try your hands at daily brainteasers on the GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE Facebook page.

GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE is funded by lead sponsor Unitil with additional funding from NEA New Hampshire, Safety Insurance, D.F. Richard Energy, and HRCU.

Pressroom Contact

Carla Gordon Russell
Director of Communications
crussell@nhpbs.org
(603) 868-4339