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Academic
Decathlon team members from Waukesha West High School are celebrating
their division-winning performance in national competition. The team earned
second place overall in the United States Academic Decathlon National
finals, held in Erie, Pennsylvania, April 23-26.
The team, which took the national title in 2002, was edged out of the top spot by Moorpark High School of Moorpark, California. The team from J. Frank Dobie High School in Texas finished in third place.
Because Waukesha West High School has fewer than 1,500 students, its Academic Decathlon team competed in Division II at the national competition. The other three schools that finished in the top four are Division I schools.
Waukesha West students earned 49,218 points - enough to claim the Division II title - but just below Moorpark's 51,424 points. The scores are out of 60,000 total points.
Each team has nine students. Three are "A" students who compete in the "honors" division, three are "B" students who compete in the "scholastic" division, and three are "C" students who compete in the "varsity" division.
Waukesha West senior Kevin Beier received a gold medal—or first place award—for overall excellence in the honors division. He also earned a gold medal in math, a bronze medal in art, a gold medal in language and literature, and a silver medal in economics.
The United States Academic Decathlon was founded in 1981, and tests students in 10 categories: art, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science and speech.
Posted May 5, 2003