'The Challenge' is on for students at OBHS
Academic team faces Clifton this weekend

Pictured during a break in taping are (l-r) Old Bridge High School academic team adviser Barbara Hauser, Cristina Sorice, Dedeepya Konuthula, host Bryan Jenkins, Sibel Ozcelik, Neal Sukhia and Jordan Stefanski.

OLD BRIDGE — Residents around the state can watch all-star students from Old Bridge High School face off against Clifton High School in the first round of Cablevision's "The Challenge" this weekend.

The academic quiz show, in its 12th season, is designed to test students' knowledge in a "Jeopardy"-style format. The match-up between Old Bridge and Clifton will air on News 12 New Jersey at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Nov. 29 and 30. The show, hosted by News 12 anchor Bryan Jenkins, can also be viewed anytime on video on demand (VOD) on iO TV channel 612.

"The Challenge" includes schools and students from the Bronx and Brooklyn, Long Island, the Westchester/Hudson Valley region, New Jersey and Connecticut. More than 900 students representing 184 tri-state area high schools are participating this season. Teams are typically made up of students who are at the top of their class, competing based on their knowledge of history, arts and literature, math and science.

"We look forward to even more high schools participating in 'The Challenge' this season and we are pleased to give students the opportunity to compete in this popular weekly quiz show and to possibly go on to win the Tri-State Challenge Championship," Cablevision's vice president of education, Trent Anderson, said in a press release. "This should be an extremely exciting season with some fierce competition, providing a terrific half hour of television for viewers of all ages. … We wish Old Bridge High School and Clifton High School good luck as they face off in round one."

Old Bridge High School is represented by team captain Dedeepya Konuthula, Sibel Ozcelik, Cristina Sorice, Neal Sukhia and alternate member Jordan Stefanski. The team's academic advisor is Barbara Hauser.

As this season of "The Challenge" progresses, schools will vie each week to continue on in the competition, which ultimately results in the best teams from each region facing off against each other next spring. Regional champions will then compete for the ultimate title, Tri-State Challenge Champion. The winning team in each region will receive $2,500 and go on to compete for $10,000 in the Tri-State Championship. Each student participating in the championship match will receive $500.

"The Challenge" is part of Cablevision's education initiative, Power to Learn. Earlier this year, the show received a Beacon Award, the industry's highest award for public-affairs excellence, as well as a New England Cable & Telecommunications (NECTA) Award for Public Service and Excellence in Cable Television.

More information, including standings, statistics and short contestant bios, is available on www.powertolearn.com.