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From
ABC 13 News - WSET-TV Friday, May 11, 2001
Lynchburg Whiz Kid Jeopardy Teen Champion!!!
AN EXCITING NIGHT FOR LYNCHBURG VIRGINIA AND E.C. GLASS HIGH SCHOOL, AS SENIOR GRAHAM GILMER TOOK THE JEOPARDY TEEN TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP.
FRIDAY NIGHT WE HELD A PARTY AT E.C. GLASS SO THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COULD WATCH THE EXCITEMENT TOGETHER... THE SCHOOL'S JAZZ BAND STARTED THINGS
OFF... THEN... INTO THE AUDITORIUM FOR THE BIG SCREEN SHOWING. THE CROWD COULD HARDLY KEEP THEIR SEATS AS GRAHAM BLEW HIS OPPONENTS AWAY WITH HIS EXPERTISE AND SPEED... AND THEN... HIS EXCITED CLASSMATES SWEPT HIM OFF HIS
FEET. WHEN WE WENT TO PHILADELPHIA FOR THE TAPING OF THE TOURNAMENT, GRAHAM WAS PRETTY DARNED EXCITED HIMSELF.
Graham Gilmer, Jeopardy Teen Tournament
Champ - "It's been a dream... almost
surreal. The treatment that we've got has been great from everyone... I've never had anything happen to me like this
before."
ITS PRETTY EXCITING FOR LYNCHBURG AS WELL. NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO KNOW GRAHAM
GILMER... BUT FOR COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL PRIDE.
Helen and Graham Gilmer, Sr., Parents - "I think partly it's a testament to all the teachers he's had wonderful teachers in the public school system in Lynchburg
Virginia. so that's a plug for them but they deserve it."
GRAHAM IS A PAST WINNER OF THE OPTIMIST CLUB OF LYNCHBURG ORATORICAL
COMPETITION. HE WENT ON TO WIN THE ZONE 1 CONTEST AND PARTICIPATED
IN THE CAPITAL VIRGINIA DISTRICT EVENT. HE ALSO LED HIS
A.C.E. TEAM
(ACADEMIC COMPETITION FOR EXCELLENCE TEAM) TO THE STATE TITLE THIS
YEAR. GRAHAM CREDITS HIS SUCCESS TO ALL HIS TEACHERS, BUT ONE
TEACHER IN PARTICULAR... HIS ACADEMIC TEAM COACH MARIE
WALLER... WHO'S SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS WORKING WITH HIM.
Graham - "She's a great coach, she knows the technique and the strategy and everything behind competing with trivia, academically like that and I really owe a lot to her.
Without being on her team I don't think I would have had a chance here."
Marie Waller, Academic Coach - "I appreciate that. We've worked a lot of long afternoons together, certainly he was someone wonderful to work with. "
GRAHAM DID HAVE ONE EMBARRASSING MOMENT IN THE FINALS SHOW.
Alex Trebek - "The capital
building in this city was designed by Thomas Jefferson...Graham?"
Graham - "What is Virginia?"
Trebek - "No... Andy?"
Andy - "What is Richmond?"
Trebek - "Richmond is right... yeah... (laughter) ... Graham's going to have trouble living that one down when he gets back home."
Graham - "When you're thinking really fast like that... sometimes things get mixed
up... so I hope you'll forgive me... State of Virginia!"
OH WE FORGIVE HIM ALRIGHT. THAT WAS JUST A MINOR SETBACK. ONCE AGAIN... HE BROKE AWAY FROM THE
PACK... AND MADE VIRGINIA PROUD.
Graham - "To not have to worry at all about final
Jeopardy is a load off your shoulders because 30 seconds when they're just playing the music in the background, I
can't imagine the feeling if you didn't know the
question and you wagered a lot. "
NOW GRAHAM GETS 50-THOUSAND DOLLARS BEFORE TAXES... A NEW CAR... AND A GREAT DEAL OF PERSONAL
SATISFACTION... OH... AND A THUMB TO THANK AS WELL.
Graham - "My
thumb. No blisters... yet, but I'm going to go home and soak it."
GRAHAM PLANS TO USE HIS WINNINGS TO HELP PAY FOR STANFORD UNIVERSITY THIS FALL... HE SAYS HE STILL
DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'LL MAJOR IN, OR WHAT HE WANTS TO DO WHEN HE GETS OUT... BUT SAYS HE HAS PLENTY OF TIME FOR ALL THAT.
Friday May 11 2001 8:09 PM |