From Gauls to Gummies:
A Week of History, Friendship, and Growth
at the International History Olympiad in Paris
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
—William Butler Yeats.
By Sahil Prasad, grade 10, Maryland.
More Than Buzzers and Scoreboards
When you hear the words “Quiz Olympiad”, most people imagine fierce competition, flashing buzzers, and rooms filled with the silence of anticipation. And they wouldn’t be wrong. A lot of that happened at the 2025 International History Olympiad (IHO) held in Paris, France, from July 20th to 26th. The amount of time and studying that goes into preparing for the Olympiad is unparalleled. I dove into the timelines of French history, art, and literature from the Gauls living in Roman-era France to the quirks surrounding the policies of the current President Macron, not to mention the enormously confusing list of kings sharing the name “Louis.” I studied the paintings of Jacques-Louis David and the classics of stellar novelists like Flaubert and Sartre. The International History Olympiad was unlike any competition I had ever taken part in.
I started academic competitions all the way back in third grade when I played at my local History Bee and joined my school’s It’s Academic Quizbowl Club run by Dr. and Mrs. Seifter who started the club as an avenue for young kids in my area to get into Quizbowl, a sport that, as you can imagine, is quite a jump from the history we were learning at school (it wasn’t even called history until Middle School).
Preparing for Paris
The Olympiad is run by International Academic Competitions (IAC), a company founded by David Madden (who was a Jeopardy! champion with a 19-day winning streak).
Moi and IHO Director and Former Jeopardy Champion David Madden awarded me my plaque; the top 20 players at the 2025 International History Olympiad received one.
IAC has held many Olympiads in the past. In fact, the 2025 Olympiad was my third time in the ring. This time, they had selected Paris, France as the host city for the competition. The event was held at the École Jeannine Manuel, a large school campus in Paris that could fit all the 400 plus students from many nations that came for the Olympiad. The school is right in the middle of the bustling heap that is Paris with falafel shops, pizza parlors, Thai restaurants, and Indian restaurants—a truly international setting that perfectly complemented this global Olympiad.
When Rivals Became Friends
The 2025 International History Olympiad certainly had all the stressful aspects: tense moments, tight scores, and many incredibly sharp competitors from all over the world. But over the years, for me, it has become something far more meaningful: it was an avenue where I could connect with my friends from all over the world and have fun as much with knowledge exchanges as playing games, while also competing at a prestigious and international level. It’s where I made some of the best friendships of my life.
The Olympiad brought together students from over 30 countries. For a week, we competed in a variety of events from the International History Bee World Championships (an individual buzzer-based history quiz competition) and the Art History Bee to Table Combined (an event dividing half the available points between table tennis games and history questions). Some of my most memorable moments included buzzing in on the Mask of Nefertiti, an Egyptian artwork I ignorantly perceived as “not famous enough” until it won me a crucial round in the Ancient History Bee and my buzz that earned me a silver medal in the Art History Bee, namely, answering with the correct answer of “Ophelia” (thanks Taylor), that I recognized from her position in the water from the famous John Millais painting.
The competition was fierce, but most of the time, the environment was far from tense. Between rounds, laughter echoed in the halls of École Jeannine Manuel. Students from different continents swapped stories about their schools, their countries, and their favorite historical figures. In one instance, we’d be debating who would win the overall championship and immediately switch to debating whether Haribo sour gummies were better plain or in the mix-and-match bags with marshmallows. It was in these moments that I realized the true essence of the Olympiad: it wasn’t about defeating others, but discovering what connects us all, our shared love of history and what matters most, the fact that we are all young adults!
My competitors quickly became my friends. We shared strategies before events, encouraged one another during tough rounds, and celebrated together when the medals were announced. I still remember standing with players from Canada, the Philippines, and Singapore as we compared scores after a particularly close History Bee, the sense of mutual respect was clear, even in the face of competition.
With my friends/competitors from the Philippines
I distinctly remember the French History Bee held under the gaze of the Eiffel Tower, we were running around, playing tag, and simultaneously discussing our favorite figures in French History before the soon to be competitive match. This drastic contrast between a game of tag and an international-level academic competition event separated by mere minutes can only be found at the International History Olympiad.
Finalists of the French History Bee waiting to buzz to win under the Eiffel Tower
When I won two silver medals and one bronze for Maryland, it was certainly a proud moment, but what I remember most vividly is the sense of belonging. The Olympiad taught me that true success isn’t measured solely in rankings or medals but in the experiences that stay with you. Competing against some of the brightest young minds in the world challenged me to think more deeply and work harder. The knowledge I gained while preparing—and the opportunity to compete on that stage—felt like a gold medal in itself.
One of my favorite parts of the Olympiad was how it blended fun with intellectual challenge. Each day, after intense competition, we got to participate in cultural excursions and light-hearted events that let us unwind and connect beyond the game. I particularly remember my visit to the Père Lachaise cemetery on the outskirts of the city with my mother and fellow competitors. I felt a sense of gratitude toward figures like Honoré de Balzac and Félix Faure, and many of the other historical figures about whom I was knowledgeable about and hence got me to Paris in the first place to compete and won me many of the medals I returned home with.
A Community I’ll Carry Forward
The International History Olympiad wasn’t just a competition; it was a reminder that knowledge can bridge cultures and unite people from across the globe. It showed me that while history may be made up of countless conflicts and divisions, studying it together and competing can bring out the best human connections. And as I returned home from Paris, with memories of laughter and moments of triumph, I realized that the real victory was not in winning medals, but in finding a community that celebrates curiosity, fun, and knowledge.
I can’t wait to return to the next International History Olympiad in 2027. It will be my last one as a high school student. I know these memories will last me a lifetime!
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The International History Olympiad is held every two years, and will next take place in Summer 2027, likely in Berlin (Germany), London (UK), or Lisbon (Portugal). To learn more about the Olympiad as well as the annual National History Bee, please visit www.historyolympiad.com and www.iacompetitions.com/our-competitions. For questions about the Olympiad or any other IAC events, please contact International Academic Competitions’ Executive Director David Madden at david@iacompetitions.com.
Sahil Prasad, grade 10, Maryland, has published a number of articles in Skipping Stones.