school_duel.jpgFORT LAUDERDALE — BECON-TV (Broward Education Communications Network) WBEC-TV a nonprofit, noncommercial television station owned and operated by the School Board of Broward County announced the participating teams and broadcast schedule for the third season of School Duel, designed to reward and showcase intellectual talent in South Florida’s high schools, as well as serving as a positive educational tool for students.

The 19-show series features 20 high schools from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. More than 50 of the region’s high schools competed in an online test to be part of the “televised” tournament.

The four-person teams will compete in a single elimination tournament to determine South Florida’s School Duel champion. Last season’s champions were from Palm Beach County’s Suncoast High School.

The 2013 high schools participating in the televised rounds include returning champion Suncoast and runner up Cypress Bay, along with Broward entries from College Academy, Coral Springs Charter, South Plantation, Deerfield Beach, Western, Cooper City, Monarch, West Broward, Chaminade-Madonna, Taravella, Plantation and Pines Charter. The Miami-Dade contingent is Westminster Christian, Archimedean and Ransom Everglades. Also from Palm Beach County are Spanish River, Park Vista, and Wellington.

The third season of School Duel began Jan. 1 and airs every Thursday at 7 p.m. on BECON-TV. Repeat airings take place on Saturdays at 10 a.m., and Sundays at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. The championship match airs on Thursday, June 6.

The entire season will be rebroadcast, in chronological order, during the summer and the following fall in preparation for next season’s show.

BECON-TV reaches homes throughout Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties on Comcast and Advanced Cable (channel 19), DirecTV, DISH Network and AT&T U-Verse (channel 63), a potential audience of more than 5.5 million people across the tri-county area.

This season, the players on the winning team will each receive $1,000 from Chick-fil-A and BrightStar Credit Union, a championship trophy from EDCO Awards and Specialties, gift certificates and much more.