Delco Hi-Q

Delco Hi-Q is an academic quiz competition in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1948.

Delco Hi-Q is the oldest continuous academic quiz competition in the United States. It was started as radio quiz program for high school students in Delaware County, Pennsylvania by the Scott Paper Company. "Hi" represented "High School" and "Q" represented "I.Q." The first prize in 1948 was a $1,000 "auditorium style" television set.

The success of Scott’s Hi-Q in Delaware County led Scott Paper to introduce the program across the country. Hi-Q National Director, Donna Zerby, helped the competition expand in 1976 to Washington State, in 1977 to Wisconsin/Michigan, in 1982 to Maine, in 1984 to Arkansas, and in 1987 to Alabama.

After the merger of Scott Paper with Kimberly-Clark Corp. in 1997, Kimberly-Clark Corporation-Chester Operations, became the primary sponsor and the twenty-one area high schools began financially contributing to the program. The Delaware County Education Foundation was established to help continue the program. Donna Zerby remained as director.

In 2004, the Delaware County Education Foundation merged with The Foundation of the Delaware County Chamber. At that time the Chamber Foundation and the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) agreed to become joint sponsors of the program. DCIU provided program and production management and the Foundation was responsible for the awards ceremony and fund raising.

Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union [1] joined Delco Hi-Q as a primary corporate sponsor in 2004 and has made a long-term commitment to strengthen and sponsor the program and the Partners in Education Celebration.

In 2008, Delaware County Intermediate Unit and Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union became co-sponsors of the program.

Twenty-one Delaware County high schools participate in Delco Hi-Q.

Each school team is composed of up to ten students. Each school hosts one contest during the standard season.

Questions are prepared from 14 subjects.

Based primarily on the content of standard high school courses. General scholastic knowledge that the students can be expected to have acquired at school or elsewhere. Guidelines and/or specific reference material are provided when the category is not usually a standard high school course. In Standard season competition, there are two rounds: Each team plays once in each round. Three teams compete on stage in each contest. The total cumulative points each team earns in the three contests in which it competes determine standings. Total points determine entry into the Semifinal Round and Championship Match.

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