Statewide competition seeks to even playing field in North Dakota schools
Scholarship funding on the table for winning schools
In a new effort to recognize diverse forms of excellence in North Dakota schools, state Superintendent Levi Bachmeier and the North Dakota High School Activities Association launched the “Dakota Cup” challenge on Sept. 17.
To compete for scholarship funding in the Dakota Cup, schools will earn points for a variety of important achievements, ranging from academic performance to traditional athletics to extracurricular activities like fine arts. A complex ranking system will determine each school’s outcome, with half of the weight of the scoring given to academic performance and the other half to activities.
The exact amount of scholarship funding and the timeframe for rolling out the Dakota Cup competition haven’t been announced.
In a Sept. 17 press release, organizers behind the Dakota Cup highlighted the way they hope the new initiative will cut through digital distractions and encourage holistic student development.
“This competition puts all sports and fine arts on equal footing, encouraging schools and communities to recognize and celebrate lesser acknowledged activities with the same vigor we do our most cherished,” Bachmeier said in the press release.
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