24-04-2025
Maryland School for the Deaf student wins individual title at national academic competition
A junior at the Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD) won the 2025 National Deaf Academic Bowl's individual competition and was named an all-star.
Josiah Lockhart defeated 64 students in the national competition for the individual title.
'Winning felt like I finally proved I was the best out of all the players at the tournament,' he said in a press release. 'My victory showed that MSD's Academic Bowl team is a force to be reckoned with.'
The MSD team placed in the top eight of 16 schools in the national competition, which was held at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., from April 17 to 21.
Lockhart was the team's only returning player. He was joined by his brother, Tobias Lockhart, as well as students Blane Shank and Jace Timm.
Head coach Seanna Guettler and assistant coach Jessica Willoughby led the team to the national competition after months of preparation.
'The team is proud of how far they've come and they are already motivated for next season,' Guettler said in the press release.
In March, MSD hosted the East Regional Academic Bowl for the first time in 20 years. MSD's Academic Bowl team fell to Montgomery Blair High School by two points in the championship round.
MSD's team still earned a bid to the national competition. At the national competition, the MSD team lost by one point, 53-52, to Model Secondary School for the Deaf in the quarterfinal round.
'At nationals, we faced the best: the top four teams from each region,' Guettler said in the press release. 'To come out of pool play with six wins and just one loss was an incredible achievement for such a young team.'
Josiah Lockhart said he was grateful to have represented the school at nationals.
'I finally felt like I was able to reap what I sowed over the past two years,' he said in the press release. 'Those countless nights of studying paid off — not just in winning the individual competition, but in everything our team accomplished. The future looks bright for us, and I'm really looking forward to what's next.'
