STUDENTS from Merewether High have set the national bar for on-screen academics.
Claiming the win in episode four of Shaun Micallef's Brain Eisteddfod, the students set the highest score of the eight schools so far.
"It's very exciting news," principal Rochelle Dooley said. "The whole school community is incredibly proud."
The show sees teams start with an "ATAR" of 99.95 and each correct answer earns the schools 10 extra points.
"As in the real world whoever ends up with the highest ATAR wins and their lives will thereafter be an unbroken boulevard of green lights," Micallef said.
Merewether amassed an impressive 529.95 points to more than double that of opponents, Geelong College, at 219.95.
15-year-old Marcel Forrer was the youngest competitor for Merewether.
Despite this, Marcel took on the leadership role to steer Oscar Cox, Mitchell Hall, and Avi Davis home to victory.
"I was expecting to be nervous because I've been in competitions before but it was actually quite relaxed," Marcel said. "It just felt like me and my mates hanging out and chatting. There was also a fair bit of banter with Shaun."
While the Eisteddfod is a showcase of young academic achievement, Marcel said Micallef owns the spotlight.
"I don't want to say the show is about Shaun but it kind of is," Marcel said. "In the breaks he just started doing Richard III monologues and random things like that."
The show has nine episodes in the main rounds and the two highest-scoring teams go on to play for the title in episode 10. Having what Micallef described as a "magnificent score", Merewether is well-placed to be in the final on September 21.
With Extension English, Ancient and Modern History as Marcel's favourite subjects, the year 11 student hopes to avoid hard science if the team makes the final.
"With all my heart I'm hoping it's not maths and science," Marcel said. "Not that I don't want my teammates, who all do Extension Maths, to do well. I just like the humanities and might be a little competitive."
Shows like Brain Eisteddfod are important, Marcel said, because they highlight a better side of teenagers.
"There's a perception that all teenagers are stupid and like slacking off. That's not true."
To Marcel, the show is also about seeing diversity and academic achievement represented on the TV screen.
"It is important to show a diversity of students. For Merewether this was through sexually and gender and in the other schools there was a lot of race and religion," Marcel said. "When I was younger I was very academic and also quite lonely. Seeing other people achieving things in academia on TV would have been so important to me."
Ms Dooley said any opportunity to "celebrate our young people" should be taken.
"They are so amazing, focused and determined. Our future is in safe hands."
