Print edition: 
Bring on the questions.
The National Academic League is back on for the Wichita school district's 15 middle schools.
Budget cuts had put the academic competition on the shelf for this school year, interrupting an 18-year tradition that brought two national titles to Wichita.
But the district recently was able to cobble together $25,000 from a variety of sources, with the most coming from leftover money from a fine arts grant, to make it happen.
"It's all green lights," said a relieved Col. Robert Hester, who oversees the National Academic League for the district. "I didn't think it would happen, and that would have been unfortunate."
About 450 middle schoolers will take part in the program, which challenges them academically during weekly contests between schools.
The district's $27 million in cuts had included taking out the program, which had cost $42,000 last school year. Hester suggested $30,000.
But it was still a no go.
Then last week superintendent John Allison asked Hester what the program's bare-bones cost would be.
"I told him $25,000, so that's what we've got," Hester said. "It will be very streamlined this year."
Volunteers will replace paid staff in providing administrative support. No equipment will be replaced or repaired. So if one school's clock breaks, the visiting team will be asked to bring its clock to the game.
The program's national organization, which provides all the material and questions, agreed to reduce Wichita's annual fees by $1,000 to $4,500.
"We always find a way to make it work," Hester said, "and that's what we're doing."
That's good news to the coaches and students who are part of the program, which challenges participants with question-and-answer and presentation formats during competitions.
Because sixth-graders can't participate on school athletic teams, the program provides that age group a chance to connect right away with their new school.
Teachers who coach the teams say it helps challenge students to dig deeper into academics, get organized, follow rules, learn speaking skills and learn how to present themselves in public.
"These are skills they take with them," said Janice Eden, an eight-grade language arts teacher who coaches Allison Traditional Magnet's team. "For the amount of money the district paid, it's a drop in the bucket for the return we get."
Practices usually begin in September, but that was delayed until this week because of the funding uncertainty. Still, Eden said she had 46 students report to practice Monday — about 20 more than was on last year's team.
"I'm not sure they'll all continue after they find out how much work it is," Eden said. "I'll be thrilled if 35 finish."
Marsha Diggs, who coaches Robinson's team, said she was intent on seeing that the season was held this year. She even called each school board member to make sure they understand the program's importance.
"I exercised my free-speech rights," said Diggs, a social studies teacher. "It's so important for students at this age level to receive validation that scholastic efforts are important. This is a really wonderful way for students who maybe aren't as athletically inclined to represent their schools and be proud of themselves."
Meg Plotner, coach at Pleasant Valley, said that if funding hadn't become available, she would have volunteered her time and sought other coaches to do the same to keep the program alive.
"It's something the kids need," she said. "It helps in a lot of ways because it asks questions that are obviously above what they've been given academically. It helps prepare them for what life is going to throw at them, those little wrinkles they never expect."
Plus, the kids have fun.
Gary Mitchell coached the teams at Wilbur for 18 years before retiring after last year. He's one of the volunteers helping to administer the program this year.
"My kids always had a great time," Mitchell said. "There's a stigma in a lot of schools that it's not cool to be smart. In my school, it was always cool. It was cool to be on that team."
This year's season will begin with practice games Nov. 3. The regular season starts the following week.
Schools from 10 states participate in the program, which culminates with a national competition via video conference in March.
Wilbur won the national title in 2004 and Pleasant Valley won in the 1990s, Hester said.
Even as Hester and the coaches breathe a sigh of relief that the program will go on this year, they cast a wary eye for what will happen next year.
"We're going to have reduced funding again next year," Hester said. "We try to prove our benefit every year."
But that concern is still a year away.
"This gives us a little more time to find funding," Mitchell said. "I'm sure we'll be working on it."
