Spring Harbor Middle School students have secured a national victory at the 2025 African American History Academic Challenge. The event was part of the 39th Annual Conference of 100 Black Men of America, Inc., held in New Orleans.
The winning team comprised eighth-graders Teresa Ketarkus and Makai Moore, along with seventh-grader Elias Ketchum. They were coached by Humanities Teacher Sara Leuthold and represented the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD). The team surpassed 14 other teams nationwide to clinch first place. Their success followed months of preparation and a series of competitive rounds, culminating in an impressive final performance where their opponents could not score.
“There were people behind us saying, ‘How did they buzz before the question even finished?’ They’d hear a keyword and just respond—it was impressive,” Leuthold said.
The team’s journey began with a district win in March and continued with a regional victory at Verona Area High School. Throughout this period, Teresa, Makai, and Elias received support from their school community and dedicated themselves to extensive reading using “Black History 365: An Inclusive Account of American History.”
The path to the championship involved challenging preliminary rounds leading up to the finals. The students reported that after several close calls during earlier matches—including a sudden-death tiebreaker—the final round seemed less stressful.
“The prelims were really stressful. I was really nervous—especially when we thought we were out a couple of times—but we still made it in,” Ketchum said.
Beyond winning, the students appreciated traveling to New Orleans and experiencing its cuisine. They also valued the knowledge gained for future history classes.
Looking ahead, Teresa and Makai will attend Vel Phillips Memorial High School as eighth-graders next year while Elias will return as the team’s assistant coach.
Leuthold has been coaching Spring Harbor’s academic challenge teams since 2013. This marks Spring Harbor’s second national win following their victory in 2018.
