Western Junior High School to be host of Amazing Shake competition on Friday

KINDERHOOK, Ill. — Western Junior High School will be the host of an Amazing Shake competition, a contest that emphasizes teaching students manners, discipline, respect and professional conduct, on Friday, March 22.

Through the Amazing Shake, a competition originally created by the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Ga., students are introduced to the nuances of professional human interaction. They are taught various skills such as how to give a proper handshake and how to provide high-quality answers in interviews. At the end of the contest, the school aims to prepare their students to present themselves exceptionally well for opportunities today as well as those that will come in the future.

At Western Junior High School, nearly 90 students will have the opportunity to engage in conversation with 15 members of the community who will be judging them on their handshakes, conversational skills, posture, eye contact and respect. This round is called “The Gauntlet.”

The 20 to 25 students with the highest total scores after the Gauntlet will move on to the second round to interview with members of the board of education. The final round will have the top five to seven students interviewing with State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, with Davidsmeyer helping to crown the winner at a school-wide assembly on Friday, April 26.

In a press release, event organizer and social studies teacher Sarah Hilligoss said, “We believe it is extremely important for students to be able to carry on a conversation, shake someone’s hand properly and look people in the eye when talking. These skills, as we all know, are vital in the working world. These skills will also help when interviewing for scholarships or for a job. Having the foundation now and knowing how to carry on a meaningful conversation will help them in several aspects of their lives. This also aligns with one of our graduate aims at the junior high to create career readiness.”

The Western Junior High School Amazing Shake competition will take place at Western Junior High School, 300 Chaney, in Kinderhook. To see coverage from the competition, visit www.facebook.com/WesternWildcats or Instagram at @wjhs_wildcats.