Decathlon Team Earns High Scores at Home

The smartest kids in the state were feted Monday by hundreds of their peers who showered them with cheers, praise and admiration for beating out 41 schools last weekend to win the California Academic Decathlon.

Treated as conquering heroes as they returned to El Camino High School from Fresno, the nine-member team celebrated with their friends and teachers during a rowdy noontime pep rally in the school’s courtyard, which was decorated with signs--”Congratulations State Champs”--and dozens of helium balloons.

“I feel absolutely exhilarated,” said Kasra Torabi, who garnered seven medals at the state contest. “If we didn’t get the support that we did from the school, I would have never felt as motivated as I have. It has been truly excellent.”

Teammate Justin Weaver, meanwhile, reflected on all the hours of work that brought the students to this point.

“What really makes it all worth it is the road to the top, not the top itself,” said Weaver, who scored the single most points for his team--8,566 out of 10,000. “The reward is frosting on the cake.”

El Camino’s victory over the weekend makes it the fifth consecutive year that a team fielded by the Los Angeles Unified School District has claimed the state championship, a winning streak that El Camino began in 1992.

“We were all up in Fresno this weekend cheering them on,” El Camino Principal Ron Bauer shouted to the cheering crowd. “We were a little worried about Laguna Hills and Beverly Hills, but look at what happened. We brought the bacon home.”

Indeed, the Woodland Hills whiz kids faced stiff competition from their Southern California neighbors throughout the event.

But when all was said and done, El Camino came out on top by racking up 49,239 points out of a possible 60,000 during the 10-event contest, which tested the kids’ knowledge on topics ranging from social science to fine arts.

In addition to Torabi and Weaver, the winning team includes Matthew Backes, Eldar Brodski, Arabella David, Isis Okowita, Sarah Sabolek, Jenny Stefanotty and team captain Dale Shuger. To prepare for the competition, the students worked with their coaches, David Robersonand Sharon Markenson, for seven hours each day after school and on weekends. The intense workout combined with the state finals took its toll on at least one of the students.

“Even though I’d like to say that I’m feeling great, I’m actually really tired,” Brodski said. “It’s been too much for two days.”

Not so said teammate Stefanotty, who is also El Camino’s student body president. “I was out with my friends until 2 a.m. celebrating,” the jubilant teenager said as she and her teammates were mobbed by the crowd.

“I’ve never been so proud of Jenny,” said Stephanie Kaplan, who traveled to Fresno to cheer on her pal Stefanotty. “A lot of attention is paid to sports, but it’s something else for someone to study for seven hours every day and then win.”

Next, the team will fly to Atlanta in April where it will represent California in the national finals. Between now and then, coach Roberson said the kids will get a 10-day break from studying for the contest.

But don’t expect to see them hanging out at the mall.

Weaver said he will spend his “break” preparing for nationals. Brodski, a member of the school’s tennis team, said he plans to practice his strokes. And Torabi has his own unfinished business to attend to.

“I’m going to use that time to try and catch up with my school work” Torabi said. “I’m many, many weeks behind.”