PLEASANT HILL, Calif. – At last night’s energy-filled Academic Decathlon Awards Reception, it was announced that Campolindo High School (Moraga) won the 2017 East Bay Regional Academic Decathlon for the seventh straight year.
Along with being the East Bay Regional winner, the team will also represent Contra Costa County in the California State Academic Decathlon competition. Following Campolindo, were Acalanes High School (Lafayette), second place; and Freedom High School (Oakley), third place.
Directed by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) and with the assistance of community volunteers, the Academic Decathlon provides an opportunity for high school students to compete as individuals and teams in a series of ten academic tests and demonstrations. The subjects in the competition include art, economics, literature, mathematics, music, science, social science, essay, interview, and speech (prepared and impromptu)–plus the popular SuperQuiz™.
Approximately, 100 participating high school students had been studying and preparing for this event with their coaches since September. This year’s Academic Decathlon theme was World War II.
Pittsburg High places 4th in the East Bay Regional Academic Decathlon
The participating teams represented the following high schools: Acalanes (Lafayette), California (San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga), Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), Dublin (Dublin), Freedom (Oakley), and Pittsburg (Pittsburg). Campolindo High School has now been Contra Costa County’s champion for the past seven years, and last year at the State competition, the Moraga high school came in 2nd place in the Medium Sized school division. One of the students ranked 10th overall decathlete in the state.
Academic Decathlon teams are made up of nine students, grades 9-12, with a maximum of three students in each of the following divisions: Honors (3.75-4.00 GPA), Scholastic (3.00-3.74 GPA) and Varsity (2.99 GPA and below). The winning team will represent Contra Costa County at the California State Academic Decathlon, to be held in Sacramento, March 24-25. This year’s National Academic Decathlon will be held in Madison, Wisconsin, April 20-22.
The top four 2017 East Bay Regional Academic Decathlon overall school rankings:
- Campolindo
- Acalanes
- Freedom
- Pittsburg
Campolindo High School also won this year’s East Bay Regional Academic Decathlon SuperQuiz™, held last Saturday.
HISTORY
The Academic Decathlon was first created by Dr. Robert Peterson, former Superintendent of Schools in Orange County, California. Firmly believing that everyone’s learning potential can be maximized through competitive challenge, Dr. Peterson set in motion the contest that has since come to be recognized as the most prestigious high school academic team competition in the United States. The program spread rapidly throughout the states due to the success and excitement it engendered. USAD was founded in 1981.
