3:15 p.m., Oct. 23, 2002--“Weakest Link” is the name of the game for senior Andrea Vargas who flew to Los Angeles to tape the show earlier this month. (Tune in later for the date it will be shown.) The host of the show is George Gray, who pronounces the show’s famed tag line, “You are the weakest link—goodbye!”
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| Senior Andrea Vargas competed against students from five other universities on “The Weakest Link.” |
Vargas said she likes game shows, and, on a whim, when a telephone number flashed on her TV screen to participate on the “Weakest Link” a year ago, she called in. A recording asked her three questions, she replied and she thought that was the end of it, Vargas said.
Several months later, she was invited to audition at the Hilton Hotel in New York City. “There were about 40 or 50 people there, and we were going to be narrowed down to 10. I was the only student, so everyone was older than I was. We were asked to stand up, say our names and asked 20 questions.”
The remaining 10 people then played a mini-version of the game before TV cameras. “You had to tell something different about yourself,” Vargas said. “I told them that I was a dessert freak and could eat 15 scoops of ice cream at one sitting--mint chocolate chip is my favorite flavor. It was pretty mild compared to some others, like the person who ran through Chicago with just feathers on.”
Vargas said she expected to audition further when she was invited to Los Angeles in October, but she was informed that she was a participant. The competition are students from Michigan State, Texas A & M, DePaul, Northwestern universities and the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.
Vargas went to Los Angeles, accompanied by her 13-year-old brother, Josh, who also likes game shows and competes with his older sister to answer the questions.
A health and physical education major, Vargas said she has always loved sports and working with children. She played field hockey, soccer, softball and was on the track team in high school. A camp counselor for many years, she said she hopes to be an elementary school health and physical education teacher and coach a high school team. She will do her student teaching next semester, works in after school care at Holy Angels School and has run a field hockey clinic at the Brandywine YMCA.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Vargas of East Hampton, N. Y., who moved to the United States from Costa Rica several years ago. One of the highlights of the year is the family’s annual visit there each year, Vargas said.
While still in high school, Vargas visited a friend who was attending the University of Delaware, and it was love at first sight. “It was the right size, in the right place, offered the right major and had a beautiful campus as well—I love it here,” she said.
Article by Sue Moncure
Photo by Kathy Flickinger
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