Iowa Middle School Counselor Competes on Jeopardy [WATCH]

A counselor from a middle school in Iowa has proven that she has what it takes to compete on the toughest game show around, Jeopardy.

The Ames Tribune reports that Emily Hackbarth, an Ames High School graduate and Iowa State University alum got her shot recently to play the hit game show Jeopardy. The episode featuring Hackbarth aired yesterday. When she isn't giving answers in the form of questions, Hackbarth serves as a counselor at Harding Middle School in Des Moines.

So how did Hackbarth get hooked on the popular game show? The Tribune reports that she has been a fan of Jeopardy since she was a little girl, often watching the show with her grandparents in Creston, Iowa. She told the Tribune that she wasn't the best when she was younger and didn't know very many answers, but clearly, that has changed. Hackbarth stated, "As I've gotten older, I'm a big reader and just enjoy learning random facts."

The Tribune reports that Hackbarth went through many steps on her way to becoming a contestant. There was testing, auditioning, and then her name went into a pool of potential contestants where it remains for up to 18 months. She got the call in July that she would finally appear on the show.

Spoiler alert for those of you who haven't watched the episode yet. The Tribune reports that Hackbarth did very well, leading in money earned at several points during the episode. But she finished in 2nd place overall, taking home a $2,000 cash prize. Congratulations Emily on a job well done and making all of us back here in Iowa proud!

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