LOS ANGELES— Nine decathletes from El Camino Real High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)were crowned champions of the 2010 U.S. Academic Decathlon competition, giving the school its sixth national victory and LAUSD, the second largest school district in the U.S., its 11th national title.
El Camino Real decathlon students, seen here after winning the stte championship March, won the National Academic Decathlon on April 24. Photo: Courtesy ECR High School
“Getting to the national decathlon finals is a tremendous accomplishment,” said LAUSD Boardmember Tamar Galatzan, in whose district the high school is located. “I am incredibly proud of the coaches and decathlon team members at El Camino for their success this year.”
“Congratulations to El Camino Real’s academic decathlon team and the coaches that led them on this extraordinary journey,” added LAUSD Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines. “They are all to be commended for their hard work and commitment to learning, and I am proud of each and every one of them. I also have the distinction of serving as superintendent of the only school district in the country to boast 11 national titles.”
The team scored 49,958 points out of 60,000 points possible, beating all rival teams from across the country. Winners of the United States Academic Decathlon competition were announced this morning during the awards ceremony in Omaha, Nebraska.
Members of El Camino Real High School’s winning team, which represented California in this year’s contest, are: Vivian Cheng, Daniel de Haas, Evan Edmisten, Andrew Fann, Audrey Goldbaum, Jessica Lin, Daniel Moreh, Adriana Ureche and Michael Walker. Their coaches are John Dalsass and Stephanie Franklin.
LAUSD has dominated the U.S. academic decathlon competitions over the years, earning 10 national titles since 1986. Today’s win increases that number to 11 championships. And since 1991, El Camino Real High School has won nine state titles and now six national victories.
“This was an incredible team effort by nine students, their coaches, and the entire El Camino Real school community,” said Cliff Ker, coordinator of LAUSD’s Academic Decathlon.
In the academic decathlon competition—a battle of titan intellects—each school team is comprised of nine students—three students from three different grade-point average (GPA) categories—Varsity students (2.99 GPA and below), Scholastic students (3.00-3.74 GPA) and Honor students (3.75 and above GPA).
Decathletes compete in 10-quiz competitions involving speech, interviews, essay, art, economics, language and literature, mathematics, music, social science and the Super Quiz. The scores of all 10 quizzes are tallied together and the winner announced. This year’s study topic was the French Revolution.
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