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El Camino Real Does Well in Decathlon Super Quiz

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

El Camino Real High School of Woodland Hills finished among the leaders Saturday in the national academic decathlon’s oral Super Quiz, the game show-like contest that concluded the two-day competition.

The overall winners of the annual competition to test the nation’s brightest high school students will be announced today at an awards banquet in Providence.

Despite the handicap of having only eight team members--one less than other squads--El Camino placed sixth out of 38 schools. The El Camino team correctly answered 36 of 45 questions about the global economy.

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But the outcome of the oral Super Quiz will play only a minor role in the naming of this year’s national champion. While the popular event draws widespread attention, it accounts for less than 5% of every team’s overall score.

Decathlon competitors also gave speeches, wrote essays, participated in interviews with panels of judges and took multiple choice exams, including one that was part of the Super Quiz.

El Camino team members said they felt confident about clinching a first-ever national title after two consecutive years of placing second. The high school is representing California for the third straight year.

“There’s one trophy we want to take home. I think our chances are good,” said senior Steve Chae, 18.

A team from Wisconsin won the oral Super Quiz, getting 42 of the 45 questions right. Four teams, high schoolers from New Mexico, Ohio, Arizona and Texas, tied for second with 41 points each.

A high school from Massachusetts came in third with 39 points. Schools from Illinois and Mississippi, each with 38, were fourth. And schools from Tennessee, Iowa and Georgia shared fifth, each with 37 points.

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Decathlon competitors celebrated the end of an arduous year leading up to the contest.

“I feel so relieved right now,” said El Camino senior Taimur Baig, 17. “Wow, it’s over.”

Carina Yuen, 17, also a senior at El Camino, welcomed the end of the competition.

“We’re going to burn all our boxes [of notes],” Yuen said. “A ritualistic cleansing of the soul.”

Chae had other ideas. “Tonight,” he said, “it’s time to party.”

Saturday’s Super Quiz drew more than 40 parents, teachers and school administrators from the Los Angeles Unified School District.

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