The Academic Decathlon team made their way to the University of Wisconsin Green Bay for regionals on Friday, Jan. 9,. The team’s strong performance, placing fourth overall earned them a spot at state competition.
The regional competition took place over two days. The day before regionals, students completed a variety of academic tests covering subjects such as math, science, economics, literature, art, and music. On the day of regionals, students participated in speeches, and interviews. Academic Decathlon adviser Nick Kvam explained that students gave a prepared speech lasting three-and-a-half to four minutes, followed by an on-the-spot speech with only minutes to prepare.
“It’s kind of like an extracurricular, just like sports, except it’s more focused on academics,” Kvam said. “It gives students who are strong in academics a chance to be recognized.”
This year’s Academic Decathlon theme is the Roaring Twenties, with “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald as the required novel. Students studied through digital materials provided online, mostly on their own time. Team member senior Meradeth Reinsbach says she thinks the team performed well despite limited preparation compared to other schools.
“A lot of the schools have specific classes for Academic Decathlon,” Reinsbach said. “A lot of us just kind of do it for fun, so I think we did really well considering how new some of the material was.”
Several students earned individual awards at regionals. Senior Tasi Ana Sanchez placed in seven different events, including math, science, music, and interview, and earned second overall in her GPA category.
“It was a shocker to get so many awards,” Sanchez said. “I was surprised at how well I did.”
Academic Decathlon teams are made up of nine students divided into three GPA-based categories: Honor (highest GPA, 3.8+), Scholastic (middle GPA, 3.2-3.79), and Varsity (lowest GPA, below 3.2). Students only compete against others in their category. The team will compete at the state competition on February 26–27 at Seymore High School in Green Bay. For some students, the event is both challenging and enjoyable.
“The test-taking part can get long,” Reinsbach said, “But, the Quiz Bowl and getting to hang out with everyone makes it fun.”
Kvam says the experience also provides students with opportunities beyond competition.
“There are scholarships students can apply for, and they can earn ribbons and awards that recognize their academic strengths,” Kvam said.
