Mind Challenge Provides Cleveland Seniors Avenue to Better Brain Health

When was the first speeding ticket issued?

This stumper prompted debate and some research from trivia teams competing in The Mind Challenge, a contest organized by Art Greenberg and Phil Levine that’s inspired by the NCAA basketball tournament. During the interactive, live game, the host asks questions — Levine and Greenberg do the legwork — and teams have 90 seconds to collaborate and come up with an answer. 

Since its launch in 2019 at 16 senior centers, the program has expanded to more than 70 cities and over 800 players across Northeast Ohio. Thanks to sponsors, the event is free, and senior centers with the top four winning teams are awarded $2,500, $1,500, $1,000 and $500. 

“The key is to get seniors to use their minds and enhance socialization skills in a collaborative format,” Greenberg explains, emphasizing the value of teams discussing possible answers and coming to a consensus. 

Plus, teams gather to practice before the Mind Challenge events — a social bonus. 

“These are not SAT questions,” Greenberg quips.

Levine adds, “Coming up with the questions challenges us and makes us better because we have to be certain to source them and be sure they are correct.”

As for the speeding ticket, a contestant points out: “You didn’t say vehicle.”

In fact, the first auto speeding ticket was in 1904, and the “real first speeding ticket” was in 1879, doled out to Ulysses S. Grant for driving his horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Washington, D.C. at “unbelievable speeds.” 

The growing program goes far beyond trivia, promoting brain health, social connection and purpose. Plus, participants realize how much they know about many topics, Greenberg points out. “We are seniors, too, and you don’t realize how much you know that is in the back of your mind until questions start getting asked.” 

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