DAPHNE, Ala. — Nick Burt, a 2011 Daphne High School graduate, was one of 28 students from across the world who traveled to Singapore last month to compete at S.P. Jain University’s Brain Triathlon.

His journey from the Jubilee City to S.P. Jain was rather unexpected — and qualifications were quite intense, he’ll tell you.

A pretest was administered to all International Baccalaureate students, including those at Daphne High School.

“I was first introduced to it by my IB coordinator, Mr. (Joe) Roh. He came into the classroom and told us that we were going to do a test and that it was for the chance to go to Singapore with the Brain Triathlon. It was a three-part test and we did it in class,” Burt said.

When the 18-year-old took the test, he didn’t think he had a chance of being selected as a finalist and getting to travel across the world shortly after graduation.

“There are many IB students in the world — and it was just me, in Daphne, Alabama. I didn’t even think I had a chance to go, but I still tried my hardest…” he said.

Daphne High Principal Meredith Foster said the school was unfamiliar with the new competition. The odds already seemed stacked against a small city in Alabama — or any city in America, for that matter.

 “This is the first year they have done it, so we really had no idea. Sixty schools participated around the world. They are all IB schools and some of them have huge IB programs,” Foster said. “Nick’s impression was that students in other nations have to try so hard and do so many things to even get where they are, versus in America (where) people have more chances and opportunities.”

Nevertheless, Burt received the highest score of all DHS students on the qualifying test, and Roh submitted his scores for the worldwide competition.

Even then, Burt thought his chances to win the trip to Singapore were slim, and he pretty much forgot about the test he had taken toward the end of his senior year.

“I just waited around, waited around. A week after we got out of school, I got a phone call from Mr. Roh and Dr. Foster and they were telling me I won the trip to Singapore with the Brain Triathlon,” Burt said.

Suddenly, a Daphne High School student was the lone American — let alone Alabamian — to attend the competition.

Rachel Burt, Nick’s mother, said she was surprised that he was selected, but very proud.

“It was funny when he called me to tell me that he had won a trip to Singapore. I was like, ‘Yeah, okay, honey. The captain calls us once a week and tells us about the trip we won to somewhere,’” she said, referring to telemarketing robo calls.

She realized her son was serious when he said his principals called to tell him the news.

“I knew very little about the test that he had even taken at school. It was totally unexpected, out of the blue,” she said. “Obviously, we were incredibly proud that he was not only representing Daphne High School and the Daphne IB program, but Alabama and the U.S. It was particularly amazing when we found out that he was the only one in the United States,” she said.

An American in Singapore

While in Singapore, Burt spent two days competing in the Brain Triathalon, an event begun this year by S.P. Jain. The event attracted English-speaking graduating seniors enrolled in high school IB programs.

The competition comprised an essay contest, an aptitude test and a general-knowledge test. Burt tried to prepare before leaving for Singapore.

“For the general-knowledge (portion), I would buy (The) New York Times at work and read that, then I would watch the news as I went to bed and just read different articles. I tried to learn more about what was going on in the world today,” Burt said.

He said the main competition was intense.

“The main day was waking up, going into the room and writing a paper for 90 minutes on business. After that, we took the IQ test, which was more aptitude and logic, and then after that we took the general-knowledge quiz,” Burt said.

“The easiest part, I would say, was the general-knowledge test because I had been studying. … The first question was who was the leader of Italy during World War II, which was Mussolini.”

He didn’t have problems with the business essay, either.

“The business essay was asking about corporations and whether they should have a social responsibility,” Burt said.

After the tests were administered, Burt said he and the other participants took a tour of the school and waited for results.

Burt was selected as one of the top eight finalists and he and the other finalists were secluded to study and prepare for the final round of competition: a presentation and interview with a judging panel.

Burt said the final competition was a bit intimidating. Students had to study, analyze an article and give a presentation to the judges.

“There were six judges there and they were all dressed up in suits in the boardroom. I was extremely nervous and they were asking me questions and then I had to make my presentation. It was all really formal,” Burt said.

Burt may not have won the overall competition, but he was pleased with how well he placed.

“It was really important to me and my family because it is such an honor and such an achievement for me. For them to select me to be in the top 30 and then for me to go on and make it into the final eight, it made me feel proud. Because of that I wanted to do well at representing Daphne High School,” Burt said.

Tourist opportunity

While in Singapore, Burt had the opportunity to sightsee.

“I went to Clarke Quay, which is kind of like their touristy district. It has different bars, eating places, a bridge — it is kind of the night life. We went to Sentosa, which is a beach; they have Universal (Studios) there. We visited Chinatown, and we went around the city. We also went to the East Coast Beach,” Burt said.

Being in a different country provided a teachable moment for both Burt and international students.

“I was the only American over there for the Brain Triathlon. There were so many people asking me questions about our culture here and what life is like around here. Interacting with the people was the most amazing thing to me,” Burt said.

“It is hard for me to really put it into words. It was a life-changing experience … to meet all the people from around the world.”

The trip gave him the chance to add more Facebook friends and bridge international connections.

“All the people, all the different cultures and meeting them and still being able to stay in contact with them via Facebook,” Burt said, was a memory that he can cherish.

Tracking success

Back in Daphne, Foster and other Daphne High School faculty members followed Burt’s progress on Facebook after friending the U.S. ambassador to Singapore.

“All of a sudden, this really small world opened up,” Foster said of the whole process.

The principal also seemed in awe of her former student’s accomplishment, noting that “he was the only student in the Western Hemisphere” who qualified for the triathlon.

“The fact that he was selected is also a boon to the school because now we have been able to network with people in Singapore,” she said.

Burt — who earned a partial scholarship from S.P. Jain, which he declined — plans to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the fall. There, he will study biology on a pre-med track and participate in the university’s honors program.

He earned a full scholarship to UAB.