2022 Academic WorldQuest in St. Louis

It’s Academic WorldQuest Time in St. Louis!

Here is an opportunity to expand your high school students’ horizons and global literacy. Global literacy among Americans—the understanding of how the world is organized and interconnected—is an area in need of attention. The World Affairs Council of St. Louis (World Affairs STL) can help!

World Affairs STL is a nonprofit educational association that focuses resources and programs for students to improve their global affairs awareness. A primary focus of WORLD AFFAIRS STL’s education program is the Academic WorldQuest competition. Teachers are also encouraged to access World Affairs STL’s  Webinar Archive featuring interviews and panel discussions with ambassadors and experts on international hotspots and issues, along with a multitude of other globally significant offerings, all located at your fingertips at our website!

So, what exactly IS Academic WorldQuest and how does it work?

AWQ uses a Quiz-bowl-like format to test high school students’ knowledge with four-person teams answering questions about ten topics, including current events, based on a Study Guide. Teams study and practice during the school year, which will lead up to a regional Championship match on February 24th, 2022. The regional winning team goes on to the national tournament in Washington, DC, a unique trip funded by the World Affairs Council of St. Louis. There will also be cash prizes for our to three teams, First Place $1000, Second $750 and Third $500.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year, both the regional level and national 2020/2021 AWQ competition were virtual. Saint Louis University High School emerged as #1 regional champion, with Wentzville Holt High School taking 2nd place, and Triad High School in Troy, IL, coming in 3rd. 

The 2021-2022 AWQ regional championship will be IN PERSON (as of right now), and WACA’s (World Affairs Councils of America) 2021-2022 AWQ National Championship—from among the 90+ councils in the network—is scheduled to be held in person at the headquarters of the United States Institute of Peace in Washington DC on April 29-30, 2022.

You should register your interest in organizing teams now. 

 The National 2021/2022 AWQ topics are:

1. *Where Climate and Migration Meet
2. *Afghanistan: End of the 20-Year U.S.-Led Intervention
3. *A Human-Centered Agenda for the Future of Work
4. CDC and the Global Health Agenda
5. *Technology and Democracy: Threat or Promise?
6. Great Decisions
7. *21st Century Money: Dollars to Digital Currencies
8. *Working for Peace Through Legacies of War: The Case of Vietnam
9. *Insecurity in China’s Neighborhood
10. *Current Events

* WORLD AFFAIRS STL Regional match will NOT include the #4 CDC or #6 Great Decisions category. (The Great Decisions category is based on a magazine available for sale. The winning WORLD AFFAIRS STL championship team will receive copies of the magazine to prepare for the National Championship match.)

Here is a direct link to the 2021-2022 AWQ Study Guide: Academic World Quest 2021-2022 Study Guide.

Important Dates for 2021-2022 Academic WorldQuest:

• Rolling pledge/registration deadline: PLEASE PLEDGE a school/team NOW. This non-binding enrollment allows us to plan for the competition and to share WorldQuest information directly with schools and teams. You do not need to have formed teams in order to pledge your school/team. LINK HERE 
• FEBRUARY 10th, 2022 – TEAMS REGISTRATION DEADLINE- You will need to know your team members names by registration.
• FEBRUARY 24th, 2022 (5:00PM CT) – ST. LOUIS ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST CHAMPIONSHIP at Saint Louis University
• APRIL 29, 2022 St. Louis Championship Team to Washington, DC 
• APRIL 29-30, 2022 Academic WorldQuest National Championship Reception (Friday) and Match (Saturday), hosted at the United States Institute of Peace

Download The Study Guide

For more information on WORLD AFFAIRS STL’s Academic WorldQuest (AWQ) program contact Lorna Kurdi, Strategic Administrator at [email protected] and one of our interns at [email protected]