Academic Ambassador Award
Jeff Hoppes
National Academic Quiz Tournaments
Quizbowl Resource Center
Berkeley, CA
For his work in expanding quiz bowl in Northern California, for spearheading middle school quiz bowl nationwide, and for raising the professional standards of the community PACE is pleased to award the 2013-2014 Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Award to Jeff Hoppes. Jeff was one of the key figures involved in bringing National Academic Quiz Tournaments (NAQT) questions to the high quality standard they’re at today. Jeff has also been the public face of that company by being its communications director, responding to player requests and concerns, and enacting changes for the better. His third major area of contribution to high school quizbowl is his role transforming the once-barren Northern California quizbowl circuit into a thriving one, where multiple teams contend not just for regional victories, but also for national success. On top of that, he has directed expansion into places that have even less quizbowl, such as Sacramento and Oregon. Jeff is exceptionally patient, full of random acts of kindness, and an active role model for good attitude within the quizbowl community.
Young Ambassador Award
Matthew Bollinger
High School Academic Pyramid Questions
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
For his outstanding leadership in making High School Academic Pyramidal Questions (HSAPQ) an example to follow for producing high school questions, especially those heard at National History Bee and Bowl tournaments, PACE is pleased to award the 2013-2014 Benjamin Cooper Young Ambassador Award to Matt Bollinger. Matt has tirelessly overseen the production of multiple high school sets every year in his role as the Chief Editor of HSAPQ. Not only is he a top-notch writer and editor, he has also, without any extra compensation or pay, helped numerous writers improve and done the logistical work to ensure that every set gets completed on time. Matt’s excellent work on the National History Bee and Bowl sets have helped expose good quizbowl questions to hundreds of teams that are not otherwise exposed to high school quizbowl.