Booker T. Students Proud Of Academic Title

The beat of a drum blared through the Tulsa International Airport, welcoming home the Booker T. Washington academic team. The smart students are the National Academic Bowl Champions.

"It makes us feel, here in Oklahoma, we stand on a national level and can go toe-to-toe with everyone else in the country," said Booker T. Washington senior, Jordan Rogers, who will attend Yale this fall.

For the Booker T. Brainiacs, practice made perfect as they traded trivia on a regular basis to capture the coveted title.

"We practice several times a week. Last week we held a practice at my house. The kids can't get enough practicing. They want to practice. They want to learn more. They want to win," said Marilyn Turmelle, coach of the BTW Academic Team.

This year marked Booker T. Washington's 22nd consecutive trip to the national academic competition. Team captain Dylan Hames took home regional and national MVP.

"It's dedication. It's hard work. It's coming together as a team and working for a solid goal," Turmelle said.

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More from Tulsa Public Schools:

Booker T. Washington was designated a magnet school in 1973 with the goal of attracting students from throughout Tulsa to its rigorous advanced curriculum.

The academic team is made up of students who live within BTW's boundaries and those who transferred from other public and private schools for an unparalleled AP (Advanced Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate) course load.

Team captain Dylan Hames was named the National Academic MVP and earned a rare spot in the tournament's Hall of Fame.

The Booker T. Washington National Championship Academic Team includes captain Dylan Hames, Jordan Rogers, Billy Chyan, Carl Engle-Laird, Susanna Michael, and Onkur Sen.