ACADEMIC Illinois Masonic BOWL

Preparing to Return to Competition

By Dale Thayer

During the next three months, the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl Committee will start making plans and preparations for the 2022 Tournament. The past 12 months have been a sad time in our tournament history because we made the decision to cancel the 2021 Tournament due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We will never know for sure if that decision was the correct decision, but all Illinois Masons can rest assured knowing that we did not have any part in spreading the virus due to our tournament.

What started 37 years ago as a very small project in a local region in northern Illinois has grown to become one of the largest programs supported by our Grand Lodge of Illinois and has proven to be a great program that recognizes academic excellence among our high school youth and has helped our Lodges throughout the state to become more visible in their communities by sponsoring their local high school(s) in our tournament.

Since we have had a one-year hiatus, we have much work ahead of us to get the program back up and running smoothly once again. This is more work than the committee can do alone, so we will be asking the Lodges to do a little more groundwork to get schools participating again. Watch for future news about the upcoming 37th Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl. We want to bring back our tournament stronger and better than before.

Over the coming months, I will be in contact with the Illinois High School Scholastic Bowl Coaches Association to obtain their input as to what the Illinois High School Scholastic Bowl will look like in the 2021-22 school year. Many unknowns exist at the present time; therefore, no specifics other than the tournament dates are yet available concerning our 2022 tournament. At the present time, plans are to notify all Lodges via email in late August and to notify the high schools via email in September during the 2-week period following Labor Day.

Sectional Tournaments –Saturday, February 19, 2022

State Tournament –Saturday, March 5, 2022

Please submit questions or comments about the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl to Dale Thayer, Chairman, via email at thayerdale@mchsi.com or by telephone at 815-441-3070. v

Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl

Providing Positive Recognition for Academic Excellence

R.W. Brother Dale Thayer, Chairman, Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl

ILLINOIS MASONIC STUDENT ASSISTANCEPROGRAM

WWW IMSAP ORG

WWW IMSAP.ORG

PIPER GLEN GOLF CLUB

PIPER GLEN GOLF CLUB

7112 PIPER GLEN RD.

7112 PIPER GLEN RD.

SPRINGFIELD, IL 62711

SPRINGFIELD, IL 62711