Colby Burnett
Born
Chicago, IL
OccupationFormer World History instructor at Fenwick High School
EmployerFenwick High School
Known forJeopardy!
King of the Nerds
SpouseJanet Wasilewski (m. 2022)

Colby Burnett is the first Jeopardy! contestant to have won both the Teachers Tournament and the Tournament of Champions. Burnett, who at the time was 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 get his BA from Northwestern University, double majoring in History and Political Science. Then he got his MEd in Reading Teacher Education from Dominican University.[6]

Early life

Burnett grew up in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago.[7] 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.[8] After winning Jeopardy!, Burnett bought his mom a new home in a better area of Chicago.[7] 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. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  2. ^ "Oak Park teacher Colby Burnett wins Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament". Yahoo News. November 20, 2012. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  3. ^ "King of the Nerds - King of the Nerds - Season 3 - Meet Colby - tbs". TBS. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  4. ^ "Illinois.gov - Illinois Government News Network (IGNN) - Search the News Results". www3.illinois.gov. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  5. ^ "Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament: Fenwick teacher Colby Burnett wins $100,000 grand prize". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. November 20, 2012. Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  6. ^ "Colby Burnett". Linkedin. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Teacher Blows Tournament Champs Away In 'Jeopardy!'". The Huffington Post. February 27, 2013. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  8. ^ "On the Block w Spencer & McCrae King of the Nerds Colby Burnett Exit Interview", YouTube, retrieved October 30, 2015
  9. ^ "The Caitlin Show-Jeopardy! Champion Colby Burnett", YouTube, archived from the original on September 21, 2016, retrieved October 31, 2015

External links

Preceded byPatrick Quinn Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament winner 2012 Succeeded byJohn Pearson Preceded byRoger Craig Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner 2013 Succeeded byBen Ingram
Jeopardy!
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