Colby Burnett

Colby Burnett
Born Chicago, IL
Occupation World History instructor at Fenwick High School
Known for Jeopardy!
King of the Nerds

Colby Burnett is the first Jeopardy! contestant to have won both the Teachers Tournament and the Tournament of Champions. Burnett, who is a teacher at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois,[1] won the Teachers Tournament in November 2012.[2] Later, in February 2013, Burnett won the show's Tournament of Champions, taking home the $250,000 grand prize. He later appeared on season 3 of TBS's reality game show King of the Nerds.[3] Governor Pat Quinn named December 18 as "Colby Burnett day" in Illinois.[4][5]

Education

Burnett graduated from Fenwick High School. He then went on to Northwestern in Evanston where he double-majored in political science and history. He now works at his old high school, Fenwick, where he teaches several AP history courses.[4]

Early life

Burnett grew up in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago.[6] He credits his mother with keeping him out of trouble, as well as enhancing his intellect by buying him an encyclopedia, which he has read from cover to cover.[7] After winning Jeopardy!, Burnett bought his mom a new home in a better area of Chicago.[6] Controversially, the high school teacher believes that Mali caused the Apartheid.[8] When asked what the greatest accomplishment of his life was, the Jeopardy champion stated, "knowing a duke of Sealand."[9]

References

  1. "Burnett, Colby / My Home Page". www.fenwickfriars.com. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  2. "Oak Park teacher Colby Burnett wins Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  3. "King of the Nerds - King of the Nerds - Season 3 - Meet Colby - tbs". TBS. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  4. 1 2 "Illinois.gov - Illinois Government News Network (IGNN) - Search the News Results". www3.illinois.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  5. "Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament: Fenwick teacher Colby Burnett wins $100,000 grand prize". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  6. 1 2 "Teacher Blows Tournament Champs Away In 'Jeopardy!'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOKTECT_9ao, retrieved 2015-10-30 Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. "King Of The Nerds with Colby Burnett!". Spreaker. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nov4IuCAvb0, retrieved 2015-10-31 Missing or empty |title= (help)
Preceded by
Patrick Quinn
Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament winner
2012
Succeeded by
John Pearson
Preceded by
Roger Craig
Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner
2013
Succeeded by
Ben Ingram
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