‘Nerd Herd’ Brings Another Victory in Academic Contest

A nine-member team from Sepulveda Junior High School has won the Los Angeles school district’s Academic Pentathlon for the second year in a row.

The Sepulveda team members, who dubbed themselves the “Nerd Herd,” finished ahead of second-place Porter Junior High School of Granada Hills and 78 other schools in the seventh annual battle of the brains, district officials said Tuesday. The Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, a district magnet school, finished third.

“It was a lot of work, but it was worth it because we won,” said Jason Chen, 14, of Van Nuys.

The Feb. 24 competition, which drew more than 700 participants from 80 schools throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District, tests students in math, science, history and essay writing. The fifth event, called the Super Quiz, required students to answer questions about John Steinbeck’s book “The Red Pony.”

“I had students who read that book four or five times, right up to the night before the competition,” said team coach Kathy Floor, a health and science teacher.

The Sepulveda school, which has 2,000 students, has finished no lower than third place since the district began the academic competition in 1984. The school team finished first last year, as well as in 1987.

The Sepulveda team members, who by contest rules are divided evenly among A, B and C students, also include Katie Unterman, Gabriel White, Miriam Kim, Teja Fox, Jonathan Kirzner, Shawn Park, Chris Allen and Kimberly Burr.

The team studied an average of 10 hours a week during lunches, at home and in cramming sessions held before and after school, Floor said.

The school board is scheduled to honor the team during an April 2 reception.

“I just hope we get a limousine ride like last year,” said Kimberly Burr, 14, of Arleta, the only returning member from the 1989 winning team.

The Sepulveda school is a finalist for designation by the state as a distinguished school, Principal Wilbert Whitaker said.

“We’re very proud of our youngsters,” he said.

Earlier this month, El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills finished second in the statewide Academic Decathlon competition for high school students. There is no statewide event for junior high school students, district officials said.