Āliamanu Middle School students face “The Gauntlet” in Amazing Shake competition

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​ĀLIAMANU - Imagine being accused and found guilty of stealing diapers from a retirement home. What would you say to convince a judge to keep you out of prison?

This was one of the challenges presented to Āliamanu Middle School students during "The Gauntlet," the first round of the school's local Amazing Shake competition. The Amazing Shake is a competition run by the Ron Clark Academy, a nonprofit middle school in Atlanta, Georgia, that teaches students professional skills. The goal is to prepare students for future success by helping them develop social and interpersonal skills and focuses on developing students' poise under pressure, charisma, confidence and problem-solving abilities in real-world scenarios.

Eighth-grader Leah Ortega (pictured on right) made her emotional plea: "I promised my grandpa I would take care of him. We can't afford to put him in a nursing home. I tried saving money, but with all my siblings, I had to spend it on food. So, I ended up stealing the diapers," she confessed. "I'm sorry for what I did, but I'm willing to do community service and even help at the retirement home to make up for my mistake."

Marc Belza (pictured onleft), also in the eighth grade, approached the scenario from a different angle: "I stole the adult diapers because I noticed something dirty inside of them," he explained. "I didn't want the residents walking around in dirty diapers."

These quick-thinking responses were from just one of many challenges the students faced during the competition. Students had to navigate various high-pressure situations, including answering one-on-one questions from a judge, performing a memorized monologue from a TV show or movie, and responding to tough questions in a mock job interview. According to Āliamanu Middle Principal Al Hetrick, scenarios were created during staff meetings and made to mimic the main competition on the continent.

"We designed these scenarios to push our students out of their comfort zones while still reflecting real-world challenges they might face in the future," said Principal Hetrick. "It's about learning how to handle pressure, communicating effectively and showing confidence. The Amazing Shake prepares students for success beyond the classroom by equipping them with essential life skills."

Now in its fourth year at Āliamanu Middle School, the Amazing Shake has grown in size and scope. Nearly 100 Āliamanu Middle students entered the competition this year, but their performance in the Gauntlet will narrow the field to the top 25 students. These finalists will advance to the next round on Friday, Oct. 25 (see media advisory below), where the top 10 will be selected to compete in real-world scenarios such as presenting before elected officials and the Office of the Superintendent. The most exceptional students will have the opportunity to represent their school in the global competition held in Atlanta next year.

Through exercises like these, students not only learn critical communication skills but also gain invaluable experience in presenting themselves confidently in professional and everyday situations.

Group picture of Āliamanu Middle students who competed in the Gauntlet.