SBCSS News and Press Releases

County Academic Decathlon To Be Held Jan. 29, Feb. 5

2011-01-26

SAN BERNARDINO - About 500 students from San Bernardino County will compete in the 28th annual Academic Decathlon to be held on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 at Arroyo Valley High School.

The scholastic contest features 52 teams of high school students representing 29 high schools from 12 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, super quiz written, 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 overall competition theme is "The Great Depression," and the Super Quiz is on the subject of the "Introduction to Geology."

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.

"Annually, the Academic Decathlon is one of the premier events for schools in our county," said Dottie Bryant, 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; Alta Loma High, Chaffey High, Colony High, Etiwanda High, Los Osos High, Montclair High, Ontario High and Rancho Cucamonga High, Chaffey Joint Union High; Chino Hills High, Chino Valley Unified; Colton High, Colton Joint Unified; Fontana High, Jurupa Hills High, Kaiser High and Summit High, Fontana Unified; Hesperia High, Hesperia Unified; Citrus Valley High, Redlands East Valley High and Redlands High, Redlands Unified; Rialto High, Rialto Unified; Arroyo Valley High, Cajon High, Pacific High, San Bernardino High and San Gorgonio High, San Bernardino City 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 about 2:30 p.m.

Winners and finalists from the Academic Decathlon will be announced at an awards banquet on Feb. 10 at the National Orange Show Events Center in the Valencia Room. The winning team and possible other qualifiers will represent the county at the statewide Academic Decathlon competition on March 11-14 in Sacramento.