THE BLEACHERS WERE FULL, signs of support were held high and the cheering of spectators filled the gym as students competed in feats not of athletics, but of knowledge.
ST. BARBARA CATHOLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETE IN THE CATHOLIC ACADEMIC JUNIOR HIGH DECATHLON ON MARCH 7, WHICH WAS HELD AT SANTA MARGARITA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Orange County Catholic Schools hosted 22 teams participating in the Catholic Academic Junior High Decathlon on March 7, held at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita. The teams were made up of middle school students from 17 diocesan and Pax Christi Academies schools. It was the 30th year the Diocese of Orange has hosted the competition.
“We encourage our schools to participate in the Catholic Academic Junior High Decathlon because it gives our students a way to showcase their academic talents outside of the classroom,” said Dr. Denise Valadez, assistant superintendent of curriculum, spirituality and accreditation. “Students prepare for this event months in advance, and it challenges them to grow in knowledge and faith. This event brings schools together from across the diocese in a shared celebration of faith, learning, collaboration and school spirit.”
St. Edward the Confessor’s Gold Team placed first overall for its 16th win and 12th consecutive diocesan championship. They went on to represent the Diocese of Orange in the national academic decathlon on March 20, where they won their third consecutive national championship. Congratulations, Monarchs!
“It felt really good,” said St. Edward’s eighth-grader Kate Readdy, 14, who earned three first-place medals with her team during the diocesan championship. “I was super happy and super proud of our entire team, because all the hard work we have put in has paid off in the end.”
St. Serra Catholic School’s Innova-tors Team came in second overall and its Scholars Team was third overall. St. Norbert’s placed highest for small schools.
SUPPORTERS CHEER FROM THEIR SEATS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS DURING THE DECATHLON.
The all-day event featured two team competitions: logic and super quiz. Students also competed individually in eight subjects: current events, English, fine arts, science, religion, literature, math and social studies.
Three of the teams participating were PODS (part of the decathlon) but weren’t a full team. Those students were able to compete in the individual subject- area tests.
With six students, St. Pius V was one of the PODS. The Buena Park school is rebuilding its team and is in its second year of competing after not participating for many years, said Principal Shannon Kwan.
The decathlon is a chance for students to see academics at a higher level, learn about subjects or topics they might not otherwise study and have a chance to compete outside of athletics, Kwan added. “I see the excitement for learning, and it develops lifelong learners,” she said. “I’m glad the diocese continues this event. I think it’s very important. We always talk about reaching the whole child, and this is a great opportunity to reach a lot of different children.”
In the logic quiz, St. Edward’s Gold Team scored first, Our Lady Queen of Angels School’s Archangels Team placed second and Mission Basilica School placed third. In the super quiz, St. Edward’s Gold Team placed first, St. Norbert’s placed second and St. Edward’s Blue Team placed third.
The annual competition brings all the students together to compete once a year, but the students start preparing months in advance.
St. Hedwig parent Stacy Burke — whose daughters Margaret, 13, and Samantha, 14, both competed — said she has watched her children learn independent study skills and self discipline through academic decathlon. They have learned to manage their time and build their own study schedules as they prepare for the day. The Burke sisters have a special affinity for logic puzzles — which is fitting because the competition features activities like sudoku, riddles, KenKen puzzles and cryptograms.
“It was really exciting,” said Samantha Burke. “I just love getting to learn new things and compete with other people, so it was really fun.”
For St. Edward eighth-graders Molly Haldorsel, 13, and Elle McGinty, 14, competing in the academic decathlon is part of the school culture. McGinty, who enrolled in St. Edward’s in sixth grade because of its decathlon program, said everyone on the team wants to carry on the campus’ winning tradition.
“We have a pretty big streak of winning, and I think everyone on this team did not want to ruin our winning streak,” Readdy noted.