Arts & Entertainment

Local Teacher's Star Turn On Wheel of Fortune Draws Crowds

O'Neill's Pub in Norwalk was the scene for a multi-screen, multi-teacher, friends and family get together Thursday night as Chris Scholz' winning streak on Wheel of Fortune aired on WABC TV.

Written by Leslie Yager
Friends and fans of Chris Scholz gathered at O'Neill's Pub in Norwalk on Thursday night to share the experience of his TV debut. 

At 7:30 p.m., all the big screens along the pub walls had their channels changed from sports to WABC's Wheel of Fortune.

Patch staff from across Fairfield County, who happened to be enjoying each other's company in O'Neill's on Thursday night, joined the cheering crowd as Chris Scholz appeared alongside Vanna White and Pat Sajack. 
 
According to Scholz, who chatted with Patch during commercial breaks, this week is teacher's week on Wheel of Fortune, and although the games were taped back in July, he kept mum on the outcome to preserve the surprise for his friends and family. 

In the end, Scholz won $56,850 in cash, prompting a bartender to quip, "The drinks are on him."

According to Scholz, the prize money was, "All cash, no trips, no cars, which is phenomenal for us as we are looking to put a down payment on a house once the money comes in February!"   

Teaching was more than a Wheel of Fortune theme.  All six members of Scholz's family are school teachers.

Scholz teaches elementary physical education at in Westport at Coleytown Elementary School. His parents, Susan Lance and Skip Lance, are both school teachers at Wooster Middle School in Stratford. Scholz's sister Katie Lance teaches in Trumbull. His sister Megan teaches in Shelton and his brother Matthew teaches in Windsor. 
 

 


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