The Hi-Q team’s success this year is no small feat. Students had an immense amount of support from Mr. Mendro and Ms. Joselow, the advisers for the club. However, this is Joselow’s last year of working as an adviser for Hi-Q and Knowledge Bowl. Ms. Joselow said, “Ben and I have been a team for 24 years but it’s time to move on.” Over those years, Joselow has left an astonishing impact on the group. Of the seven times AHS has gone to the State championships, this was Joselow and Mendro’s sixth.

Of course, the team didn’t necessarily start out that way. Joselow and Mendro were asked to lead the Hi-Q team when the previous teacher had left. Joselow said the former advisor handed the club off to them with little structure to go off of. “She said, ‘just give the students the material and let them study it.’  Needless to say, we didn’t do too well our first year.” Yet, the next year, the team had the proper study materials and ended up winning, overthrowing the reigning champion, Cascade High School.

The former Hi-Q adviser for Arlington had doubted their ability. Joselow said, “She didn’t understand how two language teachers could possibly coach Hi-Q.  I wanted to call her after our first championship and gloat but restrained myself.” As time progressed, Joselow amassed a collection of memories from the club. Among all those memories, she said she recalls “all the wonderful students, one wore a kilt to each match, another brought his stuffed beaver.” Those memories of students are cemented by the parties the Hi-Q team has. Ms. Joselow said, “The end of the year parties are quite memorable. We eat, play brain games like Stage One, and then watch Ben Mendro on video when he competed at Methow High, looking about twelve years old.”

Over the years, Joselow has kept up with studying the Hi-Q material herself. While Knowledge Bowl also encourages her to study, Hi-Q requires the most dedication of the two clubs. Ms. Joselow said, “Hi-Q involves so much more work and time, but the rewards are exponentially greater.” By keeping up with the material, she is able to help students to the fullest extent of her abilities. The Hi-Q and Knowledge Bowl clubs will definitely feel an impact once Joselow has left. Hannah Martian ‘16 said, “We’d be nowhere without her.”