MADERA COUNTY — The 41st Annual Madera County Academic Decathlon speech, interview, and Super Quiz competitions will be held on Saturday, February 4 at Madera South High School. See map below.
The 2023 topic is “The American Revolution and the New Nation.”
Dr. Cecilia Massetti.
“We are so excited to be back in person this year after hosting the event online these past pandemic years,” said Dr. Cecilia Massetti, Madera County Superintendent of Schools. “This prestigious academic competition is so important to our students and we are looking forward to celebrating their achievements with them again this year.”
The winner of Madera County’s Academic Decathlon will advance to the state competition in March.
Chawanakee Academy Charter, Chowchilla Union High, Glacier High Charter, Liberty High, Madera High, Madera South High, and Matilda Torres High will compete to be named county champion.
Students completed their essays online on January 18 at their individual school sites on the first day of competition. Essays are currently being scored by trained readers.
The second day of this three-day high school event will be held at Madera County Superintendent of Schools Conference Center on January 27. Students will take tests in seven subject areas: art, economics, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, and social science.
For information regarding the conference center, please contact Kim Linderholm, Senior Business and Administrative Services Assistant, at 559-673-6051, extension 6295.
Schools are allowed up to 25 students per team and all are eligible for awards. The final overall team will be determined by selecting the top three scoring students from each division. Teams are comprised of three divisions: Honor (“A” students), Scholastic (“B” students), and Varsity (“C” students).
The 2023 Super Quiz on February 4th will be a collaborative effort. Students in each round will be allowed to discuss the question for 10 seconds and then answer the questions independently.
Image by Gerd Altmann.
“The Super Quiz is a perfect opportunity to showcase the students’ skills and knowledge of the subjects in front of an audience,” said Dr. Massetti. “Parents, school administration, and the community are given a glimpse of how much work goes into competing and the topics the students have studied.”
Volunteers are needed to help score interviews and speeches on February 4 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at Madera South High School. Students will deliver a 4-minute prepared speech and a 2-minute impromptu speech and participate in a 7-minute interview.
“We wouldn’t be able to create such a successful event without the engagement of our community volunteers,” said Dr. Massetti. “It is a great way to get involved, especially as a judge, listening to insightful speeches and interviewing students who demonstrate the qualities needed for our future as the next community leaders.”
Students will receive awards based on their division: Honor, Scholastic and Varsity. Each division will be awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals for each subject. The highest scoring student in each subject will receive $100. The highest scoring student on each team will receive $250 and the highest scoring student overall will receive a $500 scholarship. Scholarships are made possible because of local donors. Educational Employees Credit Union and Pacific Gas and Electric Company are Diamond Sponsors of this year’s student academic events.
The public is invited to attend the Super Quiz and Awards Ceremony on February 4, beginning at 11:45 a.m., at Madera South High School.
The awards ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m.
Madera South High School
705 West Pecan Avenue
Madera, CA 93637
559-675-4450
For more information or to volunteer, please call Kristi Winter, Coordinator, Student Events, at 559-662-3873 or e-mail kwinter@mcsos.org.
Check out this short video on some great study tips for academic decathlons!
