SACRAMENTO – And the Sacramento County Academic Decathlon title goes … back to Bella Vista High School in Fair Oaks.
At an awards banquet Wednesday evening, Bella Vista's Academic Decathlon team was named the overall winner of the competition for the 18th time in 20 years.
Folsom High's team, which won the competition last year, placed second in Saturday's competition. John F. Kennedy High School took third, as well as the title of "most improved" over last year.
Twenty-six county schools as well as Yuba City High participated this year. Students, divided into three categories depending on their grades, spent countless hours preparing for the tests. The 10 challenges range from impromptu speeches to written economics tests to the Civil War-themed Super Quiz, a public Jeopardy-style event.
"Super Decathletes" also received individual medals. Gold medals went to Bradford Nguyen and Emily Nugent of Bella Vista and Andrew Clarke of Folsom High. Silver medals went to Alan Lin of Laguna Creek High and David Manske and Brooke Bischoff of Bella Vista. Bronze medals went to Thomas Simpson of Bella Vista, Katie Lindsey of Folsom High and Michael Panush of Kennedy High.
Bella Vista's team advances to statewide Academic Decathlon competition March 7-10 in Sacramento.
A full list of team results and individual winners can be found at www.scoe.net/ad.
– Kim Minugh
