SBCSS News and Press Releases

County Academic Decathlon Event Starts Jan. 29

2005-01-25

SAN BERNARDINO -- About 400 students from San Bernardino County will compete in the 22nd annual Academic Decathlon to be held on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 at Arroyo Valley High School.

The scholastic contest features 44 teams of high school students representing 31 high schools from 14 school districts and one private school. Students receive points by competing in 10 academic events. There are written tests in the areas of math, economics, science, language/literature, music, art and social science. Students also write an essay, face a panel of interviewers and give impromptu and prepared speeches. For the finale, teams compete in a Super Quiz, a college bowl-style event consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions. This year’s Super Quiz focuses on astronomy.

Teams consist of nine students, three from each grade-point category: “A” (Honors), “B” (Scholastic) and “C” (Varsity). Students compete for individual and team awards.

“This is a terrific event because it brings in a variety of students with different academic talents,” said Ruth Herbert, Decathlon coordinator for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.

This year’s participating high schools and their districts are: Apple Valley High, Apple Valley Unified; Barstow High, Barstow Unified; Alta Loma High, Chaffey High, Colony High, Etiwanda High, Los Osos High, Montclair High, Ontario High, Rancho Cucamonga High and Valley View Continuation High, Chaffey Joint Union High; Bloomington High and Colton High, Colton Joint Unified; Fontana High, Kaiser High and A.B. Miller High, Fontana Unified; Hesperia High, Hesperia Unified; Redlands East Valley High and Redlands High, Redlands Unified; Eisenhower High and Rialto High, Rialto Unified; Rim of the World High, Rim of the World Unified; Arroyo Valley High, Cajon High, Pacific High, San Bernardino High and San Gorgonio High, San Bernardino City Unified; Silver Valley High, Silver Valley Unified; Upland High, Upland Unified; and Victor Valley High, Victor Valley Union High. Aquinas High, a private school in San Bernardino, also is a participant.

The public is invited to attend the Super Quiz, which will take place on Feb. 5, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Winners and finalists from the Academic Decathlon will be announced at an awards banquet on Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. in the Valencia Room at the National Orange Show. The winning team will represent the county at the statewide Academic Decathlon competition on March 11-13 in Los Angeles.