57 Schools to Vie in Academic Decathlon

In ancient Greece, athletes competed in 10 grueling track and field events in one day, testing not only their skills, but their determination and will to win.

For the past 16 years, Valley students have joined others around the country competing in a similar event--a decathlon of the mind.

On Saturday, 531 Los Angeles Unified School District students from 49 high schools, six magnet schools and two learning centers will compete in the 17th annual Academic Decathlon. The first portion of the event, which is closed to the public, will be at Venice High School. The public is welcome to attend the final portion of the contest, called the Super Quiz, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

“[The decathlon] is as competitive as any sporting event,” said Jane Pollack, the academic decathlon coordinator for the district. “Things get pretty intense.”

In the past, Valley schools have dominated the event, winning eight of the 16 contests. El Camino Real of Woodland Hills enters Saturday’s competition as the two-time defending champion.

Local rival Taft High School, also of Woodland Hills, has won the tournament four times and expects to make a strong run at the title after finishing in third place the past two years.

The two schools have won five of the last six and eight of the last 10 decathlons.

“The rivalries really make our decathlon special,” Pollack said.

In the competition, A through C-level high school students in nine-member teams take comprehensive tests in art, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, and social science. They also write an essay, deliver a speech and are interviewed by a panel of decathlon judges.

The final event is the Super Quiz--40 written multiple-choice questions followed by a team question-and-answer session.

The team with the highest total score wins the contest and goes on to compete in the state decathlon, and possibly the U.S. Academic Decathlon. LAUSD teams have gone to the national event nine times and won it four times.

Tickets for the public portion of the Super Quiz can be purchased at the door for $1.