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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2026 Page 7 Rumney Marsh Academy rises to the top in global Vocabulary Bowl competition Special to Th e Advocate W hat began as a simple midwinter challenge quickly turned into a remarkable academic achievement for Rumney Marsh Academy (RMA) — students and staff gathered Monday morning to celebrate the school’s extraordinary performance in this year’s Vocabulary Bowl, a worldwide competition hosted by Vocabulary.com. Over the course of two months, from February through March, more than 1.1 million learners from around the globe competed to master new words and climb international leaderboards. By the end of the competition, Rumney Marsh Academy had secured its place among the very best, earning the title of the #1 school in Massachusetts and the #2 rookie school across the United States and Canada. The milestone was commemorated with a schoolwide awards ceremony, complete with banners, a trophy, medals and an ice cream celebration for all students— recognizing both individual excellence and a collective eff ort that defi ned the school’s success. Four students achieved the remarkable distinction of placing among the top 100 competitors worldwide. Fuad Ahmed, Nicholas Rosa, Qasim Hassan and Thanukatriyana Sun earned special recognition and trophies for their global rankings. RMA’s literacy coach, Jennifer O’Reilly, who helped spearhead the initiative, recounted the journey during Monday’s ceremony. What began as an unfamiliar opportunity quickly became a defi ning academic moment for the school. “This all started when, in mid-January, I was asked to sign us up,” O’Reilly told students. “At the time, I had no idea what it would become. I thought maybe we could break into the top 10 in the state.” At the outset, RMA sat in 21st place in Massachusetts — a respectable but unremarkable starting point. Students began working on vocabulary exercises during advisory periods and in some classThe statistics behind RMA’s Vocabulary Bowl run are as impressive as the outcome itself: • 440,120 questions answered • 279,539 questions answered correctly • 2,375 total hours spent on the platform RMA Principal Heather Bobb holds up a T-shirt commemorating the school’s impressive achievement. RMA Literacy Coach Jennifer O’Reilly • 16,874 words mastered • More than 53 million points accumulated These numbers refl ect not just individual dedication but a coordinated, schoolwide commitment to academic growth. “This wasn’t just about our top scorers,” O’Reilly emphasized. “If you added up only their contributions, we wouldn’t be anywhere near where we fi nished. This was the result of every single student putting in the eff ort.” Part of the competition’s design helped drive that collective engagement. In addition to individual rankings, students also competed within their advisory groups, creating a layer of friendly internal competition. Several advisees stood out for their exceptional performance, each surpassing 2,000 points. Among the top-performing groups were Ms. Dulong’s Room 239, Mr. Donovan’s advisory group, Mr. Willett’s advisory group and Ms. RMA | SEE Page 15 PLEASANT ST. TAX 175 Pleasant Street, Malden Fuad Ahmed was one of the top 100 competitors worldwide. Nicholas Rosa was one of the top 100 competitors worldwide. Specializing in Personal Income Tax Preparation Starting at $90. Qasim Hassan was one of the top 100 competitors worldwide. room settings, gradually building momentum. That effort paid off . The school climbed steadily — fi rst into the top 15, then the top 10 and eventually into the top fi ve. Along the way, they surpassed wellestablished competitors, including a prestigious private school in Cambridge, signaling that something special was underway. By February, the competition intensified. Hopkinton, another top-performing district, held a commanding lead of nearly 3,000 words — no small margin in a contest where mastering a single word can require dozens of correct responses. But during February break, while many schools paused their eff orts, RMA stuThanukatriyana Sun was one of the top 100 competitors worldwide. dents continued working. “That’s when something amazing happened,” O’Reilly said. “While others took time off , you kept going.” When students returned from break, the gap had shrunk dramatically: from thousands of words to just a few hundred. Within days, RMA surged ahead, claiming the top spot among middle schools in Massachusetts. The final challenge came from Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, the previous year’s overall winner. Despite the size and experience advantage of their competitor, RMA maintained its momentum and ultimately surpassed them, securing the statewide championship. Call: (781) 324-6195 THE PAESANI CLUB ANNUAL POLENTA PARTY ANTHONY’S OF MALDEN 105 CANAL STREET MALDEN, MA. 02148 THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2026 6:00PM COCKTAIL HOUR SAVE THE DATE! LA MORA CONTEST FEATURING SAL “THE GOLDFISH SWALLOWER” BARRESI

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