SLO boy traveled to Rome to compete in the History Olympiad. Here’s how he did

In the shadow of the Colosseum, a San Luis Obispo elementary school student brought home high honors at the International History Olympiad in July.

With the help of a successful GoFundMe campaign funded primarily by San Luis Obispo community members, Bishop’s Peak Elementary School student Augustine Wang-Zhao and his father, Jack Wang, set out for Rome, where the fifth-grader represented the United States in late July in a field that included more than 50 other countries.

Augustine’s mother, Yuting Zhao, said during the eight-day trip that Augustine competed in eight events, making it to five finals.

In the hextathlon — a six-round team event consisting of crossword, multiple choice, map, audio, picture and unique “3-2-1” quizzes — Augustine and his two teammates on team California B won a silver medal, placing second in the Elementary Division, Wang said.

Augustine and team California B also placed fifth in their division at the International History Bowl World Championships, a series of buzzer questions.

Medal in hand, Augustine said he’s already getting ready for the next international contest, which will be held in 2025.

“Of course (I want to compete)!” Augustine said. “I think the next Olympiad is in Vienna.”

What is the International History Olympiad like?

When he wasn’t competing against other contestants, Augustine and his father explored Rome on tours along with other International Academic Competitions contestants, visiting landmarks including Trajan’s Column — Augustine’s personal favorite — the Vatican Museum, the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Square, Zhao said.

Some of the competition’s events were also staged at the monuments, such as the Roman History Bee at the Colosseum and the Catholic History Bee at St. Peter’s Square, Wang said.

At the History Bowl, Augustine buzzed in a last-minute answer to secure second place for team California B, he recalled.

“At the last round last game, about the third to last question, the game was really really tight,” Augustine said. “(I was) very nervous, and I buzzed in at the start of the first sentence and got that question” before the judge was finished asking it.

The question?

“William of Tudela wrote the first half of his book during this conflict,” Augustine recalled. “Peter II of Aragon and Raymond of Toulouse were killed in this conflict. This first crusade to target heretic Christians within Europe was?”

If you guessed the Albigensian Crusade — as Augustine did — you’d be right.

In some cases, Augustine and his fellow competitors had to contend with Italy’s summer heat, as temperatures crept north of 100 degrees, Zhao said.

“He would walk in a day for 30 minutes and then his nose would start bleeding,” Zhao said.

“The trip was pretty good, but the climate was really not good,” Augustine added.

Family thanks SLO supporters for help

Friends and supporters of the Wang-Zhao family launched the fundraiser June 16, just after Augustine placed 20th nationally out of 150 students to secure his spot in the international level of competition.

The trip would not have been possible without help from GoFundMe supporters who more than fulfilled the family’s $10,141 goal, Zhao said.

By the time it closed on July 10, the fundraiser had blown past its goal, receiving $12,015 from 213 donors.

“Without their support, we couldn’t have made it to Rome,” Zhao said.

Augustine was equally appreciative.

“Thank you for supporting me!” he added.