2022

For more than a decade the Naples Council on World Affairs has sponsored an Academic World Quest (AWQ) competition in two programs in Collier County -- one for public and independent high schools and the second for middle schools. The objective of both programs is to promote student awareness of world affairs and of the role of the United States in the international political system.

The High School AWQ  for 2022 was held on March 5, and the Middle School competition on April 23, both at the Community School of Naples. The top High School AWQ teams competed in the National AWQ competition in Washington, DC on April 29-30.

High School Academic World Quest 

Teams from Gulf Coast High School placed first and second in the annual High School Academic World Quest (AWQ) held March 5 at the Community School of Naples. Third place was won by Barron Collier High school.

The first-place team from Gulf Coast High School was flown to Washington DC to compete in the national competition on April 29-30. AWQ is a fast-paced team competition that tests students’ knowledge of politics, geography, global economics, history and world cultures.

First place winner was the team from Gulf Coast High School. From left are Mark Walchak, NCWA School Outreach Committee chair; Bharath Ram, Manuel Hernandez, Davansh Barve, Zayn Dalai, Jim Schmotter, NCWA president, and Mikie Stroh of Collier county Public Schools.

Another team from Gulf Coast High School placed second. From left are Mark Walchak, NCWA School Outreach Committee chair; John Bekhash, Aiden Starchbein, Doung Tran, Mikie Stroh of Collier County Schools, and Jim Schmotter, NCWA president.

Barron Collier High School's team placed third. From left are Mark Walchak, NCWA School Outreach Committee chair; Nicholas Danyo, coach; Darshan Dadlani, Eric Japson, Chris Garcia, Fred Terezi, and Jim Schmotter, NCWA president.

Middle School Academic World Quest 

Twenty-six teams representing six schools entered the 2022 Middle School Academic World Quest competition, an increase from 14 teams last season.

First place winners in the Middle School AWQ competition were from Oak Ridge Middle School. Pictured above are Mark Walchak, chair of NCWA's School Outreach Committee; Laura Heald, coach of the team; Anderson McAdams, Aiden Trapani, Will Mazurowski, Naresh Ram, and Taylor Wilson, coach.

Second place went to North Naples Middle School. From left are Luke Brown, Aaron Bozman, Bennett Bozman, Topher Fontana, coach Ashley Giannone, and Mark Walchak, chair of the NCWA School Outreach Committee.

Winning third place was the Community School of Naples team. From left are William Gavin, Gabriel Miller, Grace Cunningham, Brooke Glick and coach Scott Miles.