Massachusetts Teachers Association Supports Schools Match Wits Program

The Massachusetts Teachers Association has awarded Westfield State with $45,000 to support the As Schools Match Wits program. This marks 11 years of financial support from MTA in support of the program and the work of the communications department, in collaboration with local public television, to create the broadcast.

Created by Len Collamore ’56, the first-ever As Schools Match Wits quiz show was broadcast on television throughout Western Massachusetts in 1961. Westfield State University continues its integral commitment to this unique, empowering, local program.

According to Elizabeth Preston, Ph.D., professor of Communication, Collamore “took the idea to WWLP-TV22, and today it’s the second-longest-running high school quiz show in the country."

The show has six question categories: arts and entertainment, literature, math and science, general knowledge, social studies, and world events. The questions are based on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education curriculum standards.

Financial support from the Westfield State Foundation and the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) has been essential to keeping the program on air. Occasionally, teachers in the association are featured on the show, posing questions via video.

The MTA represents 110,000 members in close to 400 local associations throughout Massachusetts. The MTA includes teachers, faculty, professional staff and education support professionals working at public schools, colleges and universities across Massachusetts.

Click here for more information about As Schools Match Wits.

More about MTA here.