Boca Raton teen Alan Koolik to appear on 'Jeopardy'

Pine Crest student competes for $75,000 cash prize on Thursday night's episode

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – A Boca Raton teenager will appear on Thursday's episode of "Jeopardy."

Alan Koolik, a 17-year-old rising senior at the Pine Crest School, qualified for the teen tournament edition of the show by passing an online test that he took in September. He was then invited for a November audition in New York.

Koolik found out he was selected in February and then traveled to Los Angeles in March for the taping.

His most recent Facebook profile picture is of "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek and him on the set of the show.

In a brief YouTube video posted July 7, Koolik had a little fun on the set and exuded confidence with three words: "I've got this."

Koolik said he prepared for the show by watching past episodes, reading trivia books and almanacs, and reading several books written by past contestants. He said contestants weren't told which clues or categories they would be given.

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"Alex Trebek doesn't even know until the morning of the show," Koolik told his school.

Koolik competed for the teen tournament title and $75,000 cash prize against Kevin Huang of Irvine, Calif., and Ananya Nrusimha of East Amherst, N.Y.

Was he victorious? Find out Thursday by watching "Jeopardy" on Local 10 at 7:30 p.m.