Winning Students Teach Us All a Lesson

News out of local schools can be depressing: Guns, drugs, kids who can’t read or compute an average. Those troubles are real, but just as real--and far more inspiring--are the kids who defy them and excel. Five of the top 10 high schools in this month’s Super Quiz portion of the citywide Academic Decathlon hailed from the San Fernando Valley.

Defending champ El Camino Real High School scored highest overall in unofficial results--scoring 86 out of 90 possible points in the fast-paced and wide-ranging quiz. Final results will be announced Tuesday, but winners of the Super Quiz historically have gone on to win the competition and proceed to the state contest.

Regardless of which school ultimately claims the title, all should be proud of their achievements. In addition to El Camino, Taft High School tied three other schools for fifth place with 78 points. Van Nuys High School scored 75 points for sixth place. Chatsworth High was eighth with 73 points and Canoga Park High School tied for ninth place with 72 points.

The results demonstrate what countless teachers and parents already know, but what often gets lost in the bad news: Plenty of students enjoy learning and embrace the opportunity it brings. They deserve a hand.