More than 150 high school competitors and an excited crowd of cheering spectators will fill the gym at Del Campo High School Saturday, February 5—not for a sporting event, but for the annual Sacramento County Academic Decathlon "Super Quiz." Students will compete head-to-head in this live, suspense-filled event that caps off an entire day of academic testing.
Decathletes represent 18 high schools that will participate in the competition. Each high school's team is made up of nine students — three students with "A" grade averages, three with "B" averages, and three with "C" averages—who compete against those with the same grade average.
Students have been training since the fall, working before, after, and during school to prepare for Academic Decathlon events covering subjects such as economics, music, art, science, social science, language and literature, mathematics, essay, interview, and speech. Competitors will vie for top individual and team scores.
Medal winners will be announced at an evening awards banquet held on February 9 at the Doubletree Hotel. KOVR-TV 13 Chief Meteorologist Dave Bender will be the emcee. The team with the most points goes on to compete in the California Academic Decathlon taking place in Los Angeles in March. California's winning team will then progress to the U.S. Academic Decathlon held in Chicago, IL, in April.
The competition will be held at Del Campo High School: 4925 Dewey Drive, Fair Oaks, CA 95628 (get MapQuest Directions to the school).