Teams Gearing Up for Academic Decathlon

With new coaches and students, worries and hopes abound about whether El Camino Real High School’s academic decathlon team can build on its record of four consecutive city titles, three state championships and one national championship.

“We’re well aware of the pressure, especially when the community’s housing values depend on us winning,” said a half-joking Melinda Owen, a coach of the team at the Woodland Hills school.

“But we have a good chance,” she continued. “We’re going for first place again.”

About 525 students from 59 teams will compete in the Los Angeles Unified School District’s 19th annual academic decathlon Jan. 29 at Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Boyle Heights and Feb. 5 at UCLA. The winner and some top scoring wild-card teams will advance to the state decathlon in March.

Los Angeles High School’s decathletes hope to crush El Camino. In November, the high school placed first in the district during a scrimmage.

“Our goal is not only to win the district competition but also the state and national,” said Bob Carey, a magnet coordinator at Los Angeles High who recruits the decathlon team. “The kids say we get dissed [by the media]. Not this year.”

The competition tests students on art, language, literature, math, music, social science and economics, as well as their essay writing, speaking and interviewing skills. At UCLA, teams will match wits in the super quiz, in which students answer questions about the environment.

Jane Pollack, a coordinator for the district’s Academic Decathlon, called this year’s competition intense.

“There are several teams looking to bounce El Camino from its spot,” Pollack said. “And this year’s teams are particularly strong.”

Competitors at another top contender, Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, also hope to take El Camino’s title as city champ.

Districtwide, decathletes are studying during vacations, after school and on weekends. At El Camino, students stay until 10 p.m. five days a week and parents take turns bringing in dinner.

“I haven’t had contact with my friends since November,” said Kyle Wilding, 17, a senior.

Last year, El Camino narrowly lost the state championship to Moorpark High School in Ventura County.

But that’s a worry for later. Right now, the team is focused on the city competition.

“If we don’t win, people will wonder what’s wrong with us,” said Ernest Rasyidi, 17. “If we do win, people will say, ‘Whoop-de-doo.’ But that does not matter. We’re doing this for ourselves.”