Neville thanks. About the program itself, Eli Y, I hope the other commentators have given you what to think about as far as your priorities etc.
Just to add, to succeed in the specific Chidon program, a child must be very motivated. Years ago, I learned during recess, lunch and after school. And that was the norm for all Chidon serious contestants (I didn’t win anything internationally the forst year I tried, just from my school.) And back in the day, you had to be one of the top three marks from the school to be allowed to compete internationally. Which meant that if you worked really hard and got an 85% (the tests are in english, tricky multiple choice questions, just the pesukim are in lashon kodesh,) you still wouldn’t make it because the top three were in the 90s. The way they’ve tiered the program now really is inclusive anyone without lowering the high bar of effort and work ethic a child must put in to succeed.
It gives me much nachas when I walk into a classroom, and the students, who have a free period, or end a test or lesson early, eagerly take out their chidon books and start learning.
And for me, besides memorizing all the mitzvos and their details by heart, much of which I know until today, I think the main thing chidon taught me was the lesson of succeeding only by virtue of hard work. That lesson, that you need to put in your all to succeed, yagati umatzasi, has been a tremendous help for me throughout my life thus far. It is worth a child failing one year because they slacked off, to gain that lesson in my opinion. Especially today where many things come by easy and it is easy to slack off and feel entitled.