With its championship win at the Indiana County Academic League, members of the quiz bowl team from Armstrong Junior-Senior High School (AJSHS) in Kittanning proved themselves worthy to play on a national stage, according to a recent press release.
On May 22 the team will represent their school in a 320-team national competition: National Academic Quiz Tournaments’ High School National Championship Tournament.
Quiz bowl is a competitive, academic and interscholastic activity for teams of four students.
Quiz bowl teams use buzzers to answer questions about science, math, history, literature, mythology, geography, social science, current events, sports and popular culture.
The matches feature a blend of individual competition and team collaboration, since no individual player is likely to be an expert in all subject areas.
Participation in quiz bowl both reinforces lessons from the classroom and encourages players to develop new intellectual interests.
Armstrong has attended the High School National Championship Tournament four times before.
Most recently, in 2025, they finished 3-7.
Armstrong may face familiar foes in Atlanta, as North Allegheny (from Pittsburgh) and Shady Side (from Pittsburgh) will also be attending.
The team comes in with some nationals experience: Leah Hogamier, Max Petrosky and Nathan Ramer played the 2025 High School National Championship Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia and Leah Hogamier, Max Petrosky and Nathan Ramer played the 2024 High School National Championship Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia.
The team will be captained by Nathan Ramer, who will be joined by Leah Hogamier, Max Petrosky, Brody Stover, Anna Venesky and Mitchell Wranich.
The team will be coached by Brian Coil.
Tournament results will be updated throughout the three days of competition at: naqt.com/go/stats/17102.