Students from Howitt Middle School and Farmingdale High School were recently among more than 50 different schools which participated in the 15th annual United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, Inc. (UCP Nassau) Trivia Challenge Championship.

The event, designed to raise money to benefit children and adults with disabilities, provided the students with a chance to use their knowledge and learn a lesson in the valuable rewards associated with philanthropy at the same time. Students who participated ranged from fifth-graders to high school seniors.

To determine which team would participate in the event, students broke up into teams of four to take the trivia challenge in their classrooms, which consisted of approximately 100 questions, geared to be both thought-provoking and fun. They were asked questions on a wide range of topics, including current events, entertainment, science, math, history, music, arts, and cultural questions. All four students worked on the test together, making the experience more enjoyable.

The examination was set up carefully to ensure that it was age and grade appropriate. Students were required to ask family and friends to serve as sponsors, pledging money based on the number of questions correctly answered.

After taking the test in their classrooms, the group of four students who scored highest was chosen to take the challenge at the UCP Nassau facility, where they challenged teams from other schools around Nassau County.

The winning team, from Kennedy in Bellmore, was presented with a trophy, engraved with their team members' names and name of school, which they brought back and display at the school for one year. When the challenge comes around again next year, the school will return the trophy to be given to the next winner and is presented with a plaque for them to forever keep displayed at the school.

UCP Nassau raised over $50,000 this year, thanks to the generosity of friends and family members who sponsored the students for each question they correctly answered.