I have always found Canadians to be extremely proud of our country and our people, and I continue to be amazed at how much we rally and unite whenever someone stands out in a positive manner.
One such person is Mattea Roach, who is approaching her tenth victory on Jeopardy, as I write this article. I’ve long been a fan of the somewhat educational game show, not only because of the categories and questions but also because I liked Alex Trebek, and was proud he was one of us. Alex hosted more than 8,000 episodes of the famous quiz show.
Mattea Roach, the current champion, qualified last week for the Jeopardy Tournament of Champions, when she breached the $100,000 mark. Best of all, it is in US dollars, not to mention, unlike American contestants, Canadian winnings are tax-free.
Her performance is an amazing feat, but to think a 23-year-old from Nova Scotia can answer more questions about American politics, history and geography than American contestants, is unbelievable.
“It takes a lot of luck,” Mattea Roach said during a recent interview. Just getting to the stage is quite a challenge. “You also have to have a great memory and be very fast with the signalling device. Most people, although they try to hone their skills just before they go on the show, have a lifetime of knowledge stored in their memory.”
Mattea completed her schooling in 2015 at Sacred Heart School of Halifax and obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto.
After completing her studies, she worked in several different fields and was an instructor at Canada Base Toronto Debate Academy for two years. Since April 2021, Mattea went on to work as a freelance tutor in The LSAT Nerds.
She now calls Toronto home, but her family in Nova Scotia is cheering her on, along with the rest of the country. Her relatives own a grocery store in Nova Scotia, and a big congratulatory sign was erected for that small percentage of passersby who did not know who Mattea Roach was.
Jonathan van Bilsen is a television host, award-winning photographer, published author, columnist and keynote speaker. Watch his show, ‘Jonathan van Bilsen’s photosNtravel’, on RogersTV, the Standard Website or YouTube.