The 2022 Madera County Academic Pentathlon culminated with the Super Quiz and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, March 19
Sherman Thomas 8th Grade Champions: (Back L to R) Caden Heberer, Andrea Nichols, Emily Childers, Yasmeen Elabdeny, Isaac Nolan, TreSean Taylor, Bay Garlick, Jazlene Valdez, Isabel Castillo, Vincent Rodriguez (Front L to R) Coaches Jamie Brock and Angie Reed
MADERA COUNTY – The 2022 Madera County Academic Pentathlon culminated with the Super Quiz and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, March 19 naming Mountain Home School Charter this year’s 7th grade champion team and Sherman Thomas STEM Academy the 8th grade champion team.
Nearly 100 students participated in this five-event academic competition, held on March 3 and 19. Students competed in the areas of essay, fine arts, literature, science and social science. This year’s topic was Water: A Most Essential Resource.
Oak Creek Intermediate School came in second place in the 7th grade competition and Sherman Thomas STEM Academy placed third. Mountain Home School Charter came in second in the 8th grade competition and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School placed third.
Mountain Home School Charter earned first place in the 7th grade Super Quiz competition and Sherman Thomas STEM Academy earned first place in the 8th grade Super Quiz. Sherman Thomas STEM Academy came in second in the 7th grade competition and Oak Creek Intermediate School placed third. In the 8th grade competition, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and Mountain Home School Charter tied for second and Eastin Arcola Elementary School placed third.
“Madera County’s seventh and eighth grade pentathletes are amazing,” said Dr. Cecilia Massetti, Madera County Superintendent of Schools. “They studied countless hours, showed exceptional sportsmanship, team spirit, and dedication throughout the contest. Our students did extremely well.”
Each team consisted of up to 15 students per team. Schools were allowed a 7th and an 8th grade team. Students had to compete in all five events. Teams had been practicing for this event since October. Students took the essay and literature tests online from their individual school sites on March 3. All students competed together, in-person at Ranchos Middle School on March 19. They took the fine arts, science and social science tests in the morning followed by the Super Quiz and awards ceremony.
The Academic Pentathlon is sponsored by Madera County Superintendent of Schools and the Madera County Schools Foundation and supported by community donations.
Related Story: Two Mountain Area Schools Win
A complete list of award recipients is below:
Essay
7th Grade
Gold: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter
Silver: Sofia Marmon, Rivergold Elementary School
Bronze: Emily Kirby, Oak Creek Intermediate School
8th Grade
Gold: Noah Mellon, Mountain Home School Charter
Silver: Gabriella Martinez-Solis, Oak Creek Intermediate School
Bronze: Francesca Garza, Thomas Jefferson Middle School
Fine Arts
7th Grade
Gold: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Silver: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter
Bronze: Emily Kirby, Oak Creek Intermediate School
8th Grade
Gold: Isaac Nolan, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Silver: Noah Mellon, Mountain Home School Charter
Bronze: Nelson Reitz, Mountain Home School Charter
Literature
7th Grade
Gold: Daniel Shepherd, Oak Creek Intermediate School
Gold: Date Vanlandingham, Oak Creek Intermediate School
Gold: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Silver: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter
Bronze: Ian Judd, Mountain Home School Charter
8th Grade
Gold: Noah Mellon, Mountain Home School Charter
Silver: Isaac Nolan, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Bronze: Caden Heberer Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Science
7th Grade
Gold: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter
Silver: Ian Judd, Mountain Home School Charter
Bronze: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
8th Grade
Gold: Isaac Nolan, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Silver: Logan Encinas, Thomas Jefferson Middle School
Bronze: Jazlene Valdez, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Social Science
7th Grade
Gold: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter
Silver: Ian Judd, Mountain Home School Charter
Bronze: Michelle Tran, Oak Creek Intermediate School
8th Grade
Gold: Isaac Nolan, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Silver: Vincent Rodriguez, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy
Bronze: Noah Mellon, Mountain Home School Charter
Bronze: Jonathan Hernandez-Luz, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School
