The coveted title of Nickelodeon Genius 2017 has been snatched by Western Cape pupils after an intense final match.
Genius is a quiz show that pits teams of three kids from schools across the country against one another in testing their knowledge of subjects such as algebra, calculus, physical science and life sciences. The show’s final episode aired yesterday on NickToons, DStv channel 308.
The victorious trio were from Curro Durbanville Independent School. Dantelle Joubert, 17, Ralph McDougall, 16, and Joanie Thom, 16, or as they were known in the competition, team Spontaneous Combustion, proved their superior smarts in maths and science by beating pupils from KwaZulu-Natal’s Reddam House and Danville Park Girls’ High School.
Dantelle, the team’s self-appointed motivator, said: “I still can’t believe we won Genius 2017! What an experience!”
The three have each won R100000 and a trip to Nasa's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They will get to meet an astronaut, experience a simulated space shuttle launch and participate in an astronaut training programme as well as visiting Universal Studios in Orlando. They also won educational goodies worth R30000 for their school, courtesy of Cambridge Publishing.
Willine Harvett, the teacher from Curro Durbanville who accompanied the team on their travels, said: “I am so proud to have been part of this wonderful adventure. The hours of preparation, little sleep and almost two weeks of competition battles paid off in the end. We look forward to our trip to the US.”