Saint John teacher abuzz about Jeopardy! appearance

A teacher from Saint John, N.B., was in Los Angeles last week competing on one of the toughest quiz shows in history.               

Maryanne Lewell was the only Canadian to qualify for the Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament.

Lewell said she first had to complete an online test, an in-person audition and a mock quiz game with other contestants before she made it onto the show.

"They don't tell you what the questions are going to be, you just have to know everything. And so it was two months of studying America, American history, American presidents, secretaries of the treasury, American vice-presidents, American geography," said Lewell.

"I figured I would be able to know more generally about the rest of the world, although I did study some world geography too. I had to learn football."

Lewell said competing on Jeopardy! was something she'd wanted to do since she was a child.

"The people that were in the tournament were amazingly friendly and welcoming. And the staff was just so professional, and everybody was really, really cool. So it made it a really positive experience regardless of how well I did or didn't do."

The Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament starts Nov. 11. Lewell will appear on Nov. 14.