FAQ

If your school wishes to join Reach For The Top and the Schoolreach programme, you will require a teacher coach, who will have to request a subscription package from us. You can request one here.

The subscription package will be sent to your school for your consideration for a 30 day period, at which point if you do decide to subscribe, simply send a cheque attached to the enclosed invoice. If your school decides not to join, return the package to us. Simple as that!

We will also put you in touch with the league coordinator in your area, who organizes your inter-school tournaments.

Your team will then be invited to inter-school tournament games in your area, where if your team is lucky enough to win, you could qualify for the Provincial Finals, and potentially, the National Finals.

A subscription package includes:

• The REACH newsletter, outlining the National Rules and Guide To The Game
• A Practice Package made up of 7 question packs for your team to use,
• 12 Senior and 12 Intermediate Packs for In-School Use, which will help you in the selection of your team.

1. Any student who is 19 or under at the beginning of the school year and is enrolled in a Secondary School (or equivalent) is eligible to play both SCHOOLREACH and REACH FOR THE TOP.
2. All participating schools pay one annual subscription fee and are entitled to send one team to the National Finals.
3. Only those schools which have paid the season’s subscription fee are eligible to be invited to the National Finals.
4. During actual play, the team consists of four players from the same school. Open substitution is permitted between games. If a team has fewer than four players, two question types are affected.
   An Assigned question for the empty seat goes directly to the counterpart on the opponent’s team, and a short-handed team cannot end a Shootout early.

1. SNAPPERS: Any player on either team may answer a Snapper. If a player interrupts the quizmaster and answers incorrectly, the quizmaster will finish the question for the opposing team, which then has the sole right to answer.
2. OPEN QUESTION: An Open Question consists of three or four separate questions on the same topic. Any player on either team may answer each question. If a player interrupts the quizmaster and answers
   incorrectly, the quizmaster will finish that question for the opposing team, which then has the sole right to answer.
3. SEQUENCE QUESTIONS: A Sequence question is a special type of Snapper question that is worth 20 points. It involves giving a list of items in a specified order. Any player on either team may answer a Sequence question.
4. TEAM QUESTIONS: A Team Question has two parts: an open Scramble question followed by a second part containing three questions. The team that answers the Scramble correctly earns the exclusive right to answer the second part.
5. ASSIGNED QUESTIONS: The quizmaster directs each Assigned Question to a specific player, and only that player may answer. If the player does not answer, the corresponding player on the opposing team gets a chance to answer for the same number of points. Players may not prompt or consult with teammates during Assigned Questions.
6. “WHO” or “WHAT AM I” QUESTIONS: These questions have four clues. Any player on either team may
   answer. Each team may give one answer after each clue. The question’s value decreases by 10 points with each additional clue, from 40 points down to 10 points.
7. SHOOTOUT QUESTIONS: A Shootout consists of 12 Snapper-style questions. Any player still in the Shootout  may answer a question, but teammates may not consult with one another.
   A player who answers correctly earns 10 points for the team and leaves the buzzer for the remainder of the Shootout. The Shootout ends when either:
   • all four players on one team have answered a question correctly; or
   • the quizmaster has read all 12 questions and both teams still have players in the Shootout.

   A team may earn a maximum of 40 points. A shorthanded team may earn 10 points for each player who answers correctly, but has no ability to stop the Shootout early.

1. When the quizmaster asks a question, only the first player to buzz in may answer. If that player gives an incorrect answer or fails to answer, that player and team may take no further part in the question and the opposing team gets a chance to answer.
   If one player buzzes in but a teammate answers instead, the quizmaster will not accept the answer and will offer the question to the opposing team.
2. A player may interrupt the quizmaster with an answer at any point while the quizmaster is reading a question. However, the player does so at the risk of both the player and the team. If the player answers incorrectly or fails to answer after buzzing in, the quizmaster will read the remainder of the interrupted question for the opposing team, the opposing team gets a chance to answer.
3. Except during Assigned or Shootout questions, teammates may consult with one another before a player buzzes. As soon as a player activates the system, that player’s team must stop all consultation.
   If the first team answers incorrectly and the question goes to the opposing team, that team may quickly consult until one of its players presses the buzzer or time is called by the quizmaster.
4. Players must answer questions in the form specified. For example, a question may ask for both a first and last name, or for an answer in metres. Players must give mathematical answers in simplest form.
5. If the game ends in a tie, the quizmaster will read tiebreaker questions. The first team to answer a tiebreaking question correctly wins the game.
6. The quizmaster will accept only the first audible answer, and it must come from the player designated to answer.
7. Only the eight players taking part in the game may challenge an answer. The quizmaster will reject any challenge from anyone else. Players may only challenge factual information. Teams may not challenge a reader’s rulings about time or buzzing, or about accepted pronunciations of answers.
   Players must make a challenge either when the question occurs or at the end of that round. During the Shootout round or a Team scramble, a player must challenge a ruling immediately after the quizmaster accepts or rejects the answer.
8. All teams and players must follow any additional rules required by special circumstances.

If you are a former player, or a teacher/coach, you may want to consider writing questions in your areas of expertise. We are always looking for some good writers.

As we have two levels for the Schoolreach program, (Schoolreach & Intermediate Schoolreach), we require questions at both levels.

• Schoolreach (Reach for the Top), grades 10-12. Average is grade 12.
• Intermediate Schoolreach; grades 7-9. Average is grade 9.

Contact questions@reachforthetop.org for more information.

Our video archives begin the the 1990’s. If you are looking for older episodes you may have to contact CBC or your local station.