Kennedy High team advances to round two of The Challenge

Following their first-round victory, the academic team from John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore is moving on to round two of The Challenge, an academic quiz show designed to test students’ knowledge in a Jeopardy-style format.

The second round match-up between all-star student scholars from John F. Kennedy High School and H. Frank Carey High School will air on Sunday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. on MSG Varsity (Cablevision’s iO TV – Channel 14). The Challenge also repeats on News 12 Connecticut on Saturday and Sunday evenings at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.

"The excitement is building as we move into the second round of The Challenge," notes Theresa Chillianis, MSG Varsity’s general manager. "All of the students have done a fantastic job honing their skills, and we look forward to these upcoming matches. This is a great time to tune in and cheer on some of the region’s most academically talented students as they vie for a spot in the Tri-State Challenge Championship in June."

Representing Kennedy High School will be Ian Gray, Alex Mendelson (team captain), Jeremy Roberts, Laura Serbin (team alternate) and Matt Stern. The academic advisers are Madeline Donahoe and Barbi Frank.

The Challenge began as a Long Island effort 13 years ago and now includes the entire tri-state area — Long Island (with Nassau and Suffolk as two distinct regions), the Bronx, Brooklyn, Westchester/Lower Hudson Valley, New Jersey and Connecticut. This season 184 high schools will be participating with the goal of becoming the Tri-State Challenge Champion and winning $10,000 for their school and $500 for each team member competing in that final round.

Jared Cotter, a popular semi-finalist from "American Idol," serves as moderator, quizzing competing high school teams on their knowledge of history, arts and literature, current events, math and science.

Fans of the show can visit a dedicated page on Facebook that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the actual studio tapings and offers visitors a chance to sound off, share their experiences and cheer on their high school team.