GPA Hosts First Amazing Shake Competition

On February 1, The Grosse Pointe Academy (GPA) will host its first Amazing Shake Competition, a contest that places an emphasis on teaching students manners, discipline, respect, and professional conduct. Through the Amazing Shake, a competition originally created by the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, students are introduced to the nuances of professional human interaction as they are taught various skills such as how to give a proper handshake, how to provide high-quality answers in interviews, and how to remain composed under pressure. At the end of the contest, the school aims to prepare their students to present themselves exceptionally well for opportunities today as well as those that will come in the future.

At GPA, more than 80 students will experience numerous tests and challenges as they interact with community professionals from local businesses in “The Gauntlet,” a creative course consisting of approximately 20 stations. At each station, students will have 60 seconds to provide their best display of professional tact with the hope of earning respectable scores from the community judges. After the conclusion of The Gauntlet, the top 40 students will move onto subsequent rounds, which include “working the room” with executives, engaging in round-robin style speed questioning, and delivering speeches in a tense setting.

After undergoing several rounds with each requiring their own level of critical thinking, the winner of GPA’s Amazing Shake Competition will be named. The top 10 finalists will participate in the Michigan Regional Amazing Shake competition on Friday, March 8, 2024, at Notre Dame Academy in Pontiac, MI.

“By hosting our first Amazing Shake competition, we hope to encourage our students to step outside of their comfort zone and discover what they’re capable of even in the most nerve-racking situations,” said Head of School Tommy Adams.

The GPA Amazing Shake Competition will take place at the school’s Tracy Fieldhouse, located at 171 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236. To see footage from the competition, follow our school’s social media pages on Facebook or Instagram. For prospective students and families that want to see the middle school in action, contact admissions@gpacademy.org for an exclusive invite to witness this event.