Academic Decathlon is a nationwide student competition that focuses on different scholastic categories, team building, and skill development. It highlights academic achievement among students nationwide, and emphasizes proficiency in a wide range of subjects.
Open to all students, Academic Decathlon places students based on GPA. Students are split into separate categories: honors, scholastic, and varsity.
Typically, each team is composed of nine students who are separated into three categories. The competition includes different sections, both individual efforts – in areas such as multiple choice exams – and team collaboration, seen in the Super Quiz that allows three teams.
The competition includes a multitude of essays, speeches, multiple choice exams, and discussions on the given topic and theme of the competition. Each category has separate winners based on GPA and expertise.
This year’s theme is focused on the Roaring Twenties, including the effects, lifestyle, and changes instilled due to political, economic, and social standpoints during the decade.
“I think this will benefit students by getting them more interested in the Roaring 20s, learning about how that has affected society today. It also helps greatly on college applications, especially if you are an award winner,” said Anur Narayan (12), President of the San Juan Hills Chapter.
The competition is extensive and taxing, calling on student’s abilities to apply and recall knowledge quickly, and under pressure. Participants are expected to be extremely well versed in everything encompassing the Roaring Twenties, and are asked to answer questions in front of a panel of judges.
“At the competitions, there are two days. One of them is speech and interview day, and the other one is the full multiple choice exam day,” said Narayan.
Currently, San Juan Hills students are preparing to execute both the mock competition in December and the real competitions in the second semester.
To do so, members have monthly meetings that hold mock debates, practice public speaking skills, and learn and broaden their horizons of the time period and history. To help students study, Academic Decathlon releases specific files with lengthy readings, textbooks, and resources for students to use when preparing for the competition.
Throughout the year, students strengthen their public speaking skills, learn how to adapt and thrive in stressful environments, and build confidence in academic settings.
“It teaches you how to take [tests] well along with making sure you learn how to manage your time and also maintaining discipline as it is a long process. There is a ton of content, but if you go through it and work throughout the year, you’ll do way better than someone who just rushes it,” said Narayan.
To learn more about Academic Decathlon, contact Anur Narayan. Club meetings are held every second and fourth Wednesday in Mr. Eric Noble’s room J206 .
