Stellar Line-Up for Always-Fun “Smarter Than a 5th Grader”

The Wilton celebrity contestants have been lined up to star in the Wilton Education Foundation’s (WEF) 7th annual “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” fundraiser. Taking the stage on Friday, March 9, will be Wilton heroes–first responders and a Cider Mill teacher:  Diane MacLean, Wilton Police Department’s School Resource Officer; John Lynch, Wilton’s Chief of Police; Emily Mason, a 3rd grade teacher at Cider Mill who also coaches the Wilton High School girls varsity lacrosse team; and Ron Kanterman, Wilton’s Fire Chief.

The four Wilton stars will be participating in WEF’s version of the trivia game show, which incorporates Wilton-specific subject matter into the trivia questions derived from the elementary school’s curriculum. At their side will be 16 Cider Mill 5th graders helping the contestants provide answers.

Over 100 5th graders took a qualifying exam to become student contestants, and the following top four scorers in each house were selected as representatives:

Belden Hill:  Samik Soi, Robbie Eskenazi, Milan Petrosyan, Lydia Hall
Cannondale: Amogh Belur, Abigail Schmitt, Isaac Downs, Finn Burke
Kent: Laura Kowal, Annabelle Zheng, Sarah Albanese, Saanvi Kakarlapudi
Nod Hill: Kaamil Badami, Arhan Yadav, Grace Guglielmo, Ananya Peddinti

Miller-Driscoll teachers Sal Giaimo and Bryan Ennis will once again be the emcees for the evening, bringing their wit and energy to the stage.

Audience members will also get to see the technology used in the schools that WEF helps fund, including interactive SMARTBoards and iPads, which will be utilized during the show to display questions and provide responses.

“Now in our seventh year, the ‘Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?’ program is a great way to showcase the support and effort of our administration, educators, and students. I think our audience is in for a real treat with this group of 5th graders and adult contestants,” says Mike Whitman, chair of the event.

“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” will take place on Friday, March 9 at 7 p.m. in the Wilton High School Clune Center. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.. Parent supervision is required for students in the 6th grade and younger.

Tickets are now on sale. Premium reserved seating is available at $25 per seat, and general admission is $10 for students and $15 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the door or on the Wilton Education Foundation website.